Final answer:
Yorktown is important as the site of the last major battle of the American Revolution, where American and French forces, led by General George Washington, besieged and forced the surrender of the British army under Lord Cornwallis on October 19, 1781, paving the way for American independence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Significance of Yorktown
Yorktown is important because it was the site of the last major battle of the American Revolution. This battle took place from September 28 to October 19, 1781, in Yorktown, Virginia. It involved a decisive encounter where General George Washington, commanding a combined force of American and French troops, besieged the British army led by Lieutenant General Lord William Cornwallis.
The British force in Yorktown, consisting of 8,885 men, was overwhelmed by the American force of 11,133 and their French allies numbering 7,800. The American and French armies effectively blocked Cornwallis from moving west, trapping his army on the peninsula, with his small force at Gloucester also surrounded. After a failed breakout attempt across the York River on October 16, Cornwallis surrendered on October 19, 1781, marking an end to the revolutionary war and leading to the independence of the original 13 colonies.
This victory was made possible by a strategic use of colonial resources, a dedicated military effort, and substantial aid from French forces both on land and at sea, particularly the French Admiral de Grasse who blocked British naval support. The American victory at Yorktown forced the British to ultimately negotiate peace, leading to the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which recognized the United States' independence from British rule.