Which battle led to the decisive British surrender in the American Revolutionary War?

The Battle of Yorktown led to the decisive British surrender in the American Revolutionary War.

The Yorktown campaign culminated in the Siege of Yorktown in Virginia, which lasted from September 28 to October 19, 1781. American forces commanded by George Washington joined French troops led by the comte de Rochambeau, while French naval forces helped prevent British relief by sea.

British General Charles Cornwallis had established his army at Yorktown near the Chesapeake Bay. Allied troops surrounded the position, constructed siege lines, and captured key defensive locations. With his army trapped and unable to receive adequate support, Cornwallis surrendered to Washington on October 19.

Yorktown did not instantly produce a peace treaty, and fighting continued in some areas afterward. However, the surrender destroyed British political support for continuing a large-scale war in North America. Peace negotiations followed, leading to the Treaty of Paris in 1783. The campaign is sometimes called a siege rather than a single battle, but “Battle of Yorktown” is the common short name for the decisive engagement.