The Battle at Saratoga was a turning point for the Americans. The Americans had shown they could hold the British back, but Saratoga proved it was possible to win the war. General Washington and the American army showed their strength.

By 1780, the American army was still losing battles; however, the help of the French was making a huge difference. The British navy was blockading the Eastern seaboard, but the French navy was a disruption to their blockades. The British throughout much of the South were having trouble mobilizing the Southern Loyalists. The British people were voicing their opinion over the costly war, and Washington’s army was increasing in moral. There was a silver lining for the Americans.

In 1781, General Cornwallis led a large squadron of troops to Yorktown, Virginia. The general was hoping to station his men in Chesapeake until new supplies and reinforcements came in from Britain. The French and Americans knew this and had a plan to capture the British before their supplies arrived. Admiral de Grasse led a French naval unit north from the West Indies. At this time Washington and the French troops marched over 300 miles south. They even had fake military maneuvers to keep the British guessing. Once in Yorktown, they launched a siege. The French navy kept the British out of the Chesapeake Bay and on October 19, 1781, Cornwallis was forced to surrender all of his 8,000 troops.

Even though the British were losing battles, they continued to  fight against the Americans. The British public was still on the fence about the war, but the Battle of Yorktown was the final straw. The following spring in England saw a new Parliament elected and peace talks began. Those chosen to represent America were Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay. The hope was to secure a peace treaty. In 1783, the British signed the Treaty of Paris. With this treaty the British agreed to recognize America’s independence at least as far as the Mississippi River. In return, they agreed the Americans would honor their debts to British merchants and would end the persecution of British loyalists. The Americans finally had their freedom.

The Americans faced and overcame almost impossible difficulties against the British. In the beginning of the war, the Americans did not even have an army. Battles were fought by militia, consisting of local men and boys with little or no military experience. They had no training and no money for supplies. Beginning the war, the British saw more military victories. The colonists, however, had a higher moral with sniper attacks on the British. In 1775, the British won the Battle at Bunker Hill, but the colonists showed their resilience over a better military. A year later, American victories at Trenton and Princeton shifted, lifting American spirits. The Battle of Saratoga was a major turning point with the surrender of the British. In 1778, the tide again turned in favor of the Americans when they formed an alliance with the French. With incoming supplies and help from the French military and navy, the Americans had a real chance.

With the loss at Saratoga, the British were frustrated and humiliated. Even capturing the capital of Philadelphia, they needed to keep fighting. The American Continental Army and militias continued to remain. The Americans refused to surrender despite the damage to cities and private properties. The British had never experienced this kind of war before. When the British realized they were not going to win in the North, they turned their attention south. Here they hoped the loyalists would help. The fighting continued. In October of 1781, the war came to an end with the surrender of General Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia. Two years later, the Treaty of Paris was signed and America was independent. The victory of the Americans over the British was monumental. The mighty British Empire was defeated in conflict by the Americans. This victory would be an inspiration to many along the road.