What was the outcome of the Siege at Yorktown in 1781?

• A. British surrender effectively ended the Revolutionary War.
• B. American victory with no major consequences.
• C. A stalemate leading to negotiations.
• D. French withdrawal from the alliance.

Answer: (A)

Yorktown shows how a coordinated American and French effort could trap a British army and force its surrender, which effectively ends major fighting in the Revolutionary War. When Cornwallis surrendered on October 19, 1781, Britain faced the reality that continuing the war in the colonies was too costly and unwinnable, so it opened the path to peace negotiations. This victory cleared the way for the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which formally recognized American independence and set its borders. The surrender was the decisive turning point, even though fighting lingered briefly elsewhere, it marks the end of the colonial struggle for independence.