What was the significance of the Battle of Yorktown in the American Revolutionary War?

• A. It marked the first major American victory
• B. It led to the French alliance with the colonies
• C. It led to the British surrender and effectively ended the war, securing independence
• D. It resulted in the drafting of the Constitution

Answer: (C)

The battle’s significance is that it produced a decisive victory that forced British surrender and effectively ended the fighting, paving the way for American independence to be recognized. In 1781, American forces under Washington joined with French troops, and a French naval fleet blocked British escape by sea. This joint siege trapped Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia. On October 19, 1781, he surrendered, leaving Britain with little option but to negotiate peace. The result was the Treaty of Paris in 1783, in which Britain recognized the United States as independent and set its borders.

This victory didn’t mark the first American win, as earlier successes like Saratoga had already shown American resolve and helped secure French support. The alliance with France had already been established by 1778, so Yorktown capped that foreign support but didn’t create it. And the drafting of the Constitution happened later, in 1787, well after this victory.