Chapter 6 Lesson 4 THE FINAL YEARS ESSENTIAL

Chapter 6, Lesson 4 THE FINAL YEARS ESSENTIAL QUESTION: WHY DOES CONFLICT DEVELOP?

Victory at Yorktown British carrying on with their campaign down South, but key events happening up North French warships came and brought thousands of soldiers to help Americans When second fleet of French arrived, Washington planned to attack the British army in New York That opportunity never came because the troops never arrived, but a better opportunity came to attack at Yorktown

Washington Leaves for Virginia ~1781 -Washington sent Lafayette and Wayne to stop Cornwallis and they were able to pin down Cornwallis’s troops on a peninsula in Yorktown. ~While that was going on, Washington got word that the French troops he had been waiting for were heading to Chesapeake Bay to join the fight against Cornwallis. So he and Rochambeau decided to head to Yorktown and attack there. (Washington kept this a secret-even from his own troops-because he didn’t want it to get back to the British. ) ~The troops marched 200 miles in 15 days and the British didn’t have any idea until it was too late to do anything about it. ~The British at Yorktown were going to be attacked by three forces -Lafayette’s troops, Washington and Rochambeau’s army, and the French fleet of ships.

A Trap at Yorktown Washington’s plan worked perfectly. 14, 000 American and French troops stood against Cornwallis’s 8, 000 troops The French fleet kept guard at Chesapeake Bay so the British ships couldn’t get in and help Cornwallis escape by sea American and French forces began a siege-they blocked off British supply and escape routes They hoped the British would surrender

Victory Over Cornwallis The British ran low of supplies and many soldiers were wounded or sick Alexander Hamilton led an attack which captured key British defenses On October 19 Cornwallis surrendered Patriot troops took 8, 000 prisoners and 200 guns https: //youtu. be/c 1 Es 5 fp. RBAw

Independence Achieved ~Even after the victory at Yorktown, the fighting still went on. ~The British still controlled Savannah, Charles Town, and New York, however the victory at Yorktown convinced the British that the war was too costly to pursue. ~Americans and British sent delegates to Paris to work out a treaty. The American Congress approved the first draft of the treaty in April 17, but the final draft wasn’t approved until September 1783. ~By that time, Britain had also made peace with France and Spain ~The treaty was called The Treaty of Paris and under this agreement: *Britain promised to recognize the United States as an independent nation, would withdraw all troops from American territory, and gave American fishing rights to the waters off the coast of Canada. *United States promised to pay British merchants what they owed and return property that had been taken back to the Loyalists.

A Conspiracy Against Congress Since so many months passed between the end of the fighting and the treaty being signed, Washington refused to take troops out of New York just in case something happened. However, many of the soldiers believed they were owed pay from Congress and when this pay didn’t come, the soldiers grew angry. They sent a letter to Congress stating if their demands weren’t met, they would use force against Congress. Washington knew this would be dangerous for the new nation because their newly established nation would be destroyed. He gave a speech to his soldiers asking them to be patient. Then he urged congress to meet their demands. Both sides agreed and Washington was able to end the threat to the new nation.

Washington Returns Home In November 1783, the war truly ended when the last of the British troops left New York Washington gave up his command the soldiers returned home In December, Washington turned in his resignation and returned to his home in Mount Vernon, Virginia where he planned to live quietly with his family.

Why the Americans Won 1. Fought on their own land British had to move troops and supplies across the ocean which made it harder for them to get reinforcements Americans knew the land better-they knew where to ambush and were experts at wilderness fighting 2. Help from other countries: Mostly France and Spain-gave money, soldiers, military guidance, weapons 3. The war was a people’s movement: its outcome depended on the determination and spirit of all Patriots