The Battle of Yorktown’s 1781 surrender is often treated as the last major military action of the American Revolution.
American and French forces, commanded by George Washington and the Comte de Rochambeau, surrounded the British army at Yorktown, Virginia. French naval forces also prevented British relief by sea. After a siege lasting several weeks, British commander Charles Cornwallis surrendered on October 19, 1781.
The surrender did not instantly end every military activity, and the war formally concluded later through diplomacy. However, Yorktown damaged Britain’s ability and political will to continue large-scale operations in North America. It is therefore a major turning point in the history leading from independence to the nation commemorated by America250.
Saratoga was a crucial American victory in 1777, while Trenton was a surprise victory in 1776. Bunker Hill, fought in 1775, was a costly British victory rather than the war’s final major action.