Final answer:
The British turned to South Carolina following the Battle of Saratoga as part of a southern strategy led by Lord George Germain, focusing on a region where they expected support from loyal subjects and where internal divisions created opportunities for British gains.
Step-by-step explanation:
After the pivotal Battle of Saratoga, the British faced a stalemate. The southern strategy was devised by Lord George Germain, who believed the British would gain the upper hand with the support of Loyalists, the enslaved, and Native American allies in the South. They started their southern campaign in Georgia, capturing Savannah, and found support from thousands of enslaved individuals seeking freedom from bondage.
Following their success in Georgia, they focused on South Carolina. The interior regions and backcountry, with their high revolutionary sentiment and local resentments, made it difficult for the British to consolidate control, leading to a brutal civil war in the South.
The British initially had success with this strategy and captured major coastal towns. However, by 1781, thanks in part to the strategic decision by American General Nathanael Greene to divide his own troops and conduct a mobile war, the British advancement slowed. This turn of events was further complicated by the French military alliance with the Continental Army, which culminated in trapping General Cornwallis at Yorktown, ultimately securing American victory.