The Franco-American siege exhausted the British army’s supplies of food and ammunition. With no hope for escape, Cornwallis agreed to the terms of Washington’s Articles of Capitulation, signing the document at Moore House on October 19. 

Why were the British forced to surrender at Yorktown quizlet?

The British were forced to surrender at Yorktown because: French troops and a French fleet helped trap the British. Even though the British wanted to end the war, the French were reluctant to negotiate because: they were committed to staying in the war until Spain got Gibraltar.

How did the British get trapped in Yorktown?

Surrounded by enemy fire, and blocked from receiving aid by the French fleet that had arrived in Chesapeake Bay, Cornwallis was trapped.
 

What prevented the British from escaping Yorktown?

French naval fleet

Washington realized that it was time to act. He ordered Marquis de Lafayette and an American army of 5,000 troops to block Cornwallis’ escape from Yorktown by land while the French naval fleet blocked the British escape by sea.

Why were the British confused in the Battle of Yorktown?

Yorktown would be the last major battle of the war. Why were the British confused? ? The British were expecting Washington to surrender.

What is the Battle of Yorktown summary?

Siege of Yorktown, (September 28–October 19, 1781), joint Franco-American land and sea campaign that entrapped a major British army on a peninsula at Yorktown, Virginia, and forced its surrender. The siege virtually ended military operations in the American Revolution.

How did America defeat the British at Yorktown?

Washington’s troops in New York, where they were to attack the British stronghold in New York City. But plans changed. With the mission refocused on taking Cornwallis’s army in Yorktown, the French continued their trek for 300 miles and five weeks and helped win a critical victory for the Americans.

How and why were ships sunk at Yorktown?

When the British surrendered to the American Revolutionary forces on October 19, much of the fleet lay on the bottom of the York River. Some ships were sunk by enemy artillery fire, but about 12 of the merchant ships were intentionally sunk by the British to form a barrier against a possible assault from the river.

What are 5 facts about the Battle of Yorktown?

Facts About the Battle of Yorktown in the Revolutionary War



Date Started: The Battle of Yorktown started on September 28, 1781. Date Ended: The fighting ended on October 19, 1781. Location: The battle took place in Yorktown, Virginia. Campaign: The battle was part of the Yorktown Campaign.
 

Why was the Battle of Yorktown important quizlet?

What was significant about the Battle of Yorktown? It proved to be the last battle of the Revolutionary War. It was also the surrender of the British (General Cornwallis).

What happened at the Battle of Yorktown quizlet?

Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington as French and American forces trapped the British at Yorktown. What ended the American Revolutionary War? The British surrender at the Battle of Yorktown.

How were the British defeated at the Battle of Yorktown quizlet?

A French naval force defeated a British fleet and then blocked the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay, thereby preventing a British rescue by sea. Meanwhile, about 17,000 French and American troops surrounded the British on the Yorktown peninsula and bombarded them day and night.

Why was Cornwallis defeated at the Battle of Yorktown quizlet?

The British army began running out of food, so Cornwallis surrendered.

Who lost the Battle of Yorktown and why?

American victory. Outnumbered and outfought during a three-week siege in which they sustained great losses, British troops surrendered to the Continental Army and their French allies.