Summary
The decisive final battle of the Revolutionary War: Washington's combined American and French forces surround Cornwallis's army at Yorktown, Virginia, while the French navy cuts off British escape by sea. After a three-week siege, Cornwallis surrenders — and the long struggle for American independence is essentially over. James, Sarah, and Henri take stock of how far they've come.
Viewer safety
Animated siege and battle sequences — cannon fire, troops maneuvering. No graphic content.
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
The surrender at Yorktown in October 1781 was not officially the end of the war — the Treaty of Paris wasn't signed until 1783 — but it effectively ended major fighting and secured American independence.
- Why was the French alliance so important to the American victory at Yorktown? What would have happened without the French navy?
- Cornwallis sent a subordinate to hand over his sword rather than surrendering in person. Why do you think he did that? What does it show about pride and defeat?
- Sarah has been loyal to Britain throughout the series. How does the British surrender affect her? What do you think she will do now?
- From the Boston Tea Party to Yorktown, what do you think was the single most important turning point in the Revolution? Use evidence from the episodes you've watched.
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: siege, surrender, alliance, blockade, treaty, culmination.
Try it: Create a simple timeline with five events from this series (starting from The Boston Tea Party) that led to Yorktown. For each event, write one sentence explaining why it was a step toward American victory. Then circle the one you think mattered most and explain why.