Week 8 of 32 • Page 4 UNIT: CREATING THE UNITED STATES

Name ________________________________________
The American Revolution: Part Two WEEK 8

The Siege of Yorktown

In May 1781, Cornwallis led 7,000 British troops
out of North Carolina and retreated to Yorktown,
Virginia. Yorktown was on the coast and could
be attacked by French ships. The British set up
their defenses and waited for reinforcements. BEGINNINGS TO PRESENT
French ships moved toward Yorktown through the
Chesapeake Bay, blocking British supply lines.
George Washington sent 4,500 troops, led
by Marquis de Lafayette, to Yorktown. They
would prevent the British army from leaving.
Washington sent other troops to join the French
fleet in the Chesapeake Bay. Washington
arrived in Yorktown on September 28, 1781, and
besieged the city for 11 days. Unable to defend
the city, Cornwallis surrendered on Oct. 19, 1781.
His surrender brought the American Revolution to
an end. This symbolized American independence
from Great Britain.

(left)Siège de Yorktown, by Auguste Couder, 1836.

(right) Surrender of Lord Cornwallis, by John Trumbull, 1820
Capture of Fort Ticonderoga by Ethan Allen on May 10, 1775

The Treaty of Paris, 1783 BRITISH VICTORIES,

After the Siege of Yorktown, the
British wanted to end the war with the
the fight to continue. Representatives
from each country met in Paris, France,
of Paris on Sept. 3, 1783. Each side
compromised in order to end the
AMERICAN DEFEAT
During most of 1777, the Continental Army faced
American colonists and their European in 1782 to discuss terms to officially end conflict. With the end of the war, the 13 many setbacks in their fight for independence from
allies. The war was very costly, and the the war. After 10 months of negotiation, Colonies could take their first steps as a Great Britain. The British strategy was to divide the
British Parliament didn’t want to pay for the representatives signed the Treaty new, independent nation. New England colonies. This would prevent supplies
and reinforcements from reaching the Continental
Army. The British troops were under the command
Conditions of the Treaty of Paris, 1783 of General John Burgoyne. They moved south from
Canada into New York to stop the American military.
They took control of Fort Ticonderoga, near Lake
Champlain in northern New York, on July 5, 1777.
United States Great Britain This was a blow for the Continental Army because of
the fort’s strategic location.
1. The United States of America became an independent nation. At the same time, General William Howe and his
1. Britain gave up its territory east of the Mississippi River to
15,000 British and Hessian soldiers moved to stop the
the United States.
colonial government in Philadelphia. On September
11, 1777, Howe’s army defeated Washington and his
troops at the Battle of Brandywine Creek. Washington
2. The U.S. gained fishing rights off the British-Canadian coast. 2. The Mississippi River was opened to both U.S. and British was forced to retreat. Howe moved toward
citizens. Philadelphia and occupied the city. The Continental
Congress fled to nearby York, Pennsylvania. The
Continental Army needed a decisive victory to
encourage the colonists to continue fighting for
3. The Mississippi River was opened to both U.S. and British 3. The British remained in control of their colonies in Canada. their independence.
citizens.

4. American debt owed to British creditors would be resolved. 4. Britain returned the territory of Florida to Spain.

5. Colonists who remained loyal to the king during the war

would be treated fairly.
Portrait of Portrait Portrait of
General John of George British General
Burgoyne, Washington, Sir William
6. Property that had been taken from them during the war by Joshua by Charles Howe, by
would be returned. Reynolds, Wilson Peale, Richard Purcell,
Nation Makers, by Howard Pyle, 1903, depicts a scene from the Battle of Brandywine Creek. 1766 1776 1777
 Week 8 of 32 • Page 3

The Turning Point of the War The Articles of Confederation Hard Times at Valley Forge
General Burgoyne expected General
Howe to join him in Albany, New Gets the Stamp of Approval
York. However, Howe decided to
Despite its retreat from
take Philadelphia instead. The Philadelphia, the Continental
British thought their occupation of Congress still worked to create
Philadelphia and Burgoyne’s march a new government for the
south into New York would end the American people. A committee of
conflict between the colonists and 13 delegates worked to create a
Great Britain. However, Howe’s actions plan for the new government. In
created a problem for the British. While November 1777, Congress adopted
Burgoyne moved south, he had to bring the Articles of Confederation. The
supplies. These supplies came from Articles called for a loose group of
Canada. The farther he moved, the states, each with their own power.
longer the supply lines became. Longer It formed a central government
supply lines were harder to protect. but gave more power to the states.
Washington and Lafayette at Valley
Even without Howe, Burgoyne Suggestions couldn't become law Forge, by John W. Dunsmore, 1907
decided to attack the Patriots led by unless passed by nine or more of
Benedict Arnold and Horatio Gates. the 13 states. Following the Continental victories at Saratoga,
Burgoyne’s forces defeated the Patriots The Articles did not give
Washington and his troops traveled to Valley Forge,
on September 19, 1777, at a place Congress the power to collect taxes.
Surrender of General Burgoyne, The creators of the document did The Articles of Confederation, Pennsylvania and set up their winter camp. The British
called Freeman's Farm.
by John Trumbull, 1822 not want to give the new central ratified in 1781 remained in nearby Philadelphia for the winter. In
Burgoyne attacked the Patriots
government the power to tax. This Philadelphia, the British commanders quartered their
again on October 7 at Bemis Heights,
near Saratoga, New York. Benedict surrendered under the Convention of the French that the Americans could left them with no way to collect money for paying soldiers or running soldiers in the homes of the colonists. At Valley Forge,
Arnold led a group of soldiers that Saratoga. This allowed British troops to win the war. As a result, the French wars. The government could ask the states to donate money, but it Washington’s men lived in crudely built log huts
couldn't require them to do so. exposed to the elements rather than commandeer the
overpowered the British. Burgoyne and return to Great Britain if they agreed to government joined the war as an ally of
The Articles of Confederation didn't allow the new government to homes of their fellow Patriots.
his men retreated to Saratoga, New stop fighting the Patriots. the colonies. Eventually, Spain and the
control commerce between the states or create a policy for foreign
York. Gates and Arnold surrounded the The victory at Saratoga was a Netherlands also declared war on Great Washington’s troops were exhausted from long
affairs. However, the colonies needed a formal plan of government to
British troops. Ten days later, Burgoyne turning point in the war. It convinced Britain and allied with the colonists. bring the states together as one nation. Despite its shortcomings, each
marches and battles with the British by the time they
state approved and ratified the Articles of Confederation by 1781. made camp. Most had no shoes and their clothes
were old and torn. There was not enough food for the
12,000 soldiers and 400 women and children that
traveled with the army camped at Valley Forge. The

Setbacks for the The Tide of War Changes harsh conditions led to sickness and
disease throughout the camp.

Continental Army
Almost 2,000 soldiers died from
The luck of colonial forces stationed in the southern colonies typhoid, influenza, or smallpox.
changed tremendously under the command of General Despite the difficult
Nathanael Greene. Patriot forces defeated a Loyalist army at conditions, Washington did
Kings Mountain, South Carolina, in October 1780. Greene saw a everything he could to inspire
chance to beat the British after this victory. He sent half of his his troops. He convinced
army west of Kings Mountain. Those soldiers won the Battle of Congress to send needed
Cowpens in January, 1781. supplies to the camp. He
Cornwallis and Greene's soldiers clashed at Guilford worked tirelessly to train his
Courthouse, North Carolina, in March 1781. The British won the soldiers and turn them into
battle but suffered heavy casualties. Greene retreated to South Portrait of Baron
a professional fighting force Steuben, by Charles
Carolina to resupply his troops. Cornwallis marched into Virginia to rival the British Army. He Willson Peale, 1780
on May 20, 1781, and fortified his position. Cornwallis was persuaded foreign soldiers to
unaware that the Continental Army was moving toward Virginia Portrait of Marquess help him train his army, including the experienced
in the hopes of ending the war. Cornwallis, by John Singleton Portrait of Nathanael Greene,
Siege of Charleston 1780, by Copley, 1795 by Charles Wilson Peale, 1783 Prussian officer Baron von Stuben and French officer
Alonzo Chappel Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette. By the spring
of 1778, Washington’s forces were re-energized and
During the summer of 1778, the British changed prepared to face the British once again.
their military tactics. They developed a new
strategy for defeating the Continental Army.
Fighting in the New England colonies ended in
a stalemate. A stalemate is a situation in which
neither side can make a winning move. Because
of the situation in the New England colonies, the
British turned their attention to the southern
colonies. They were confident that they could
defeat the colonial forces in the south. Many
southern colonists remained loyal to the British
and would provide additional support.
In December 1778, the British captured
Savannah, Georgia. Savannah is an important
port city located on the Atlantic coast.
In 1780, they captured the port of Charleston,
South Carolina. They also defeated colonial
troops at the Battle of Camden. With these
decisive victories, the British made plans to
advance into North Carolina and then Virginia.
This plan was under the command of General
Charles Cornwallis.
The leaders of the Continental Army, including
General Washington, knew they had to stop the
British advance in order to prevent the British The Battle of Cowpens, by William
Ranney, 1845
from winning the war.
Week 8 of 32 • Page 4 UNIT: CREATING THE UNITED STATES

Name ________________________________________
The American Revolution: Part Two WEEK 8

The Siege of Yorktown

In May 1781, Cornwallis led 7,000 British troops
out of North Carolina and retreated to Yorktown,
Virginia. Yorktown was on the coast and could
be attacked by French ships. The British set up
their defenses and waited for reinforcements. BEGINNINGS TO PRESENT
French ships moved toward Yorktown through the
Chesapeake Bay, blocking British supply lines.
George Washington sent 4,500 troops, led
by Marquis de Lafayette, to Yorktown. They
would prevent the British army from leaving.
Washington sent other troops to join the French
fleet in the Chesapeake Bay. Washington
arrived in Yorktown on September 28, 1781, and
besieged the city for 11 days. Unable to defend
the city, Cornwallis surrendered on Oct. 19, 1781.
His surrender brought the American Revolution to
an end. This symbolized American independence
from Great Britain.

(left)Siège de Yorktown, by Auguste Couder, 1836.

(right) Surrender of Lord Cornwallis, by John Trumbull, 1820
Capture of Fort Ticonderoga by Ethan Allen on May 10, 1775

The Treaty of Paris, 1783 BRITISH VICTORIES,

After the Siege of Yorktown, the
British wanted to end the war with the
the fight to continue. Representatives
from each country met in Paris, France,
of Paris on Sept. 3, 1783. Each side
compromised in order to end the
AMERICAN DEFEAT
During most of 1777, the Continental Army faced
American colonists and their European in 1782 to discuss terms to officially end conflict. With the end of the war, the 13 many setbacks in their fight for independence from
allies. The war was very costly, and the the war. After 10 months of negotiation, Colonies could take their first steps as a Great Britain. The British strategy was to divide the
British Parliament didn’t want to pay for the representatives signed the Treaty new, independent nation. New England colonies. This would prevent supplies
and reinforcements from reaching the Continental
Army. The British troops were under the command
Conditions of the Treaty of Paris, 1783 of General John Burgoyne. They moved south from
Canada into New York to stop the American military.
They took control of Fort Ticonderoga, near Lake
Champlain in northern New York, on July 5, 1777.
United States Great Britain This was a blow for the Continental Army because of
the fort’s strategic location.
1. The United States of America became an independent nation. At the same time, General William Howe and his
1. Britain gave up its territory east of the Mississippi River to
15,000 British and Hessian soldiers moved to stop the
the United States.
colonial government in Philadelphia. On September
11, 1777, Howe’s army defeated Washington and his
troops at the Battle of Brandywine Creek. Washington
2. The U.S. gained fishing rights off the British-Canadian coast. 2. The Mississippi River was opened to both U.S. and British was forced to retreat. Howe moved toward
citizens. Philadelphia and occupied the city. The Continental
Congress fled to nearby York, Pennsylvania. The
Continental Army needed a decisive victory to
encourage the colonists to continue fighting for
3. The Mississippi River was opened to both U.S. and British 3. The British remained in control of their colonies in Canada. their independence.
citizens.

4. American debt owed to British creditors would be resolved. 4. Britain returned the territory of Florida to Spain.

5. Colonists who remained loyal to the king during the war

would be treated fairly.
Portrait of Portrait Portrait of
General John of George British General
Burgoyne, Washington, Sir William
6. Property that had been taken from them during the war by Joshua by Charles Howe, by
would be returned. Reynolds, Wilson Peale, Richard Purcell,
Nation Makers, by Howard Pyle, 1903, depicts a scene from the Battle of Brandywine Creek. 1766 1776 1777