British Surrender
When people think of the city of Yorktown today, they may think of New York or the Chesapeake Bay, but not truly know its history. This seaport town is famous for the siege and subsequent surrender of the British General Charles Cornwallis to General George Washington at the end American Revolutionary war 1781. It was a very necessary victory.
Yorktown was named after the city of York in Yorkshire, Northern England, it was established by the colonists in Virginia to export tobacco. Yorktown was a thriving port and economic center and was required to collect taxes for the King of England on all imports and exports.
The battle would not have been won without the help of French Lieutenant General Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, who with General Washington planned a strategy to defeat the British. It was a brutal battle where the British suffered more casualties than the Americans and French combined. The Battle of Yorktown was one of the last battles of the Revolutionary war.
An American loss at Yorktown would have given the British more power over the new colonies and the advantage of a major seaport. If the British had won the battle it would have been devastating for the colonists. The British would have had direct access to the north through Delaware and south through Virginia to continue the war. The victory at Yorktown helped shape the United States of America that we know today.
Yorktown was named after the city of York in Yorkshire, Northern England, it was established by the colonists in Virginia to export tobacco. Yorktown was a thriving port and economic center and was required to collect taxes for the King of England on all imports and exports.
The battle would not have been won without the help of French Lieutenant General Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, who with General Washington planned a strategy to defeat the British. It was a brutal battle where the British suffered more casualties than the Americans and French combined. The Battle of Yorktown was one of the last battles of the Revolutionary war.
An American loss at Yorktown would have given the British more power over the new colonies and the advantage of a major seaport. If the British had won the battle it would have been devastating for the colonists. The British would have had direct access to the north through Delaware and south through Virginia to continue the war. The victory at Yorktown helped shape the United States of America that we know today.
Primary Sources
History & Culture
The establishment of Yorktown and it's historical past.
Eyewitness account
This website gives an eyewitness account to pieces of history.
Southern History
EXPLORE HERE
Explore the south and all its glory, where the battle of Yorktown took place. Which is now preserved as a historical national park.
French nobleman
Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau was a French nobleman and a commander-in-chief of the French forces, which came to help the American Continental Army.
Secondary Sources
The Town of York
This website explains how Yorktown began to take root.
http://www.nps.gov/york/historyculture/historic-yorktown.htm
http://www.nps.gov/york/historyculture/historic-yorktown.htm
History.com
The website contains information on how the battle of Yorktown begins.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-yorktown-begins
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-yorktown-begins
I surrender
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After days of fighting the British had enough. The combined forces of the American and French armies had overwhelmed Cornwallis's army that he had no choice, but to surrender. As they marched out of Yorktown, the British band played a tune called " The World Turned Upside Down" so legend has it.