Victory at Yorktown
Yorktown, VA

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When British general Lord Charles Cornwallis arrived in Yorktown during the seventh year of the American Revolution to set up a naval base, the town of 2,000 was enjoying success as a major Virginia port. By the time American and French troops had built battlelines and fought to take over the Britains, the town of 250-300 buildings was reduced to less than 70. Yorktown never recovered its economic status.

But the war had been won! The fighting finally ended. Cornwallis was reduced to surrendering his arms and men to George Washington and the commander of the French army, General Rochambeau.

The clever blockade of the Chesapeake Bay and York River trapped Cornwallis' 8,300 troops, allowing Washington's 17,600 Allied and French soldiers to surround them for the last battle of the Revolution.
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Young Patriots! (at the Nelson House)

"The Nelson house had clothes for kids to dress up in. It also had old-fashioned wooden toys to play with. Thomas Nelson, Jr. commanded the Virginia militia, was a governor of Virginia and signed the Declaration of Independence."--Harrison

The Journal of William Thomas Emerson : A Revolutionary War Patriot
by Barry Denenberg

400 French troops took Redout #9 while the Americans took Redout #10 (left), completing the siege line (right). "Next to the redouts was the American Battery with naval cannons, howitzers, field guns and mortars. They used their bayonets to take the redouts, but it wasn't easy because there were spikes all around them, which proved to be quite an obstacle. It was a scary battle, but the victory must have been exciting."--Harrison

The terms of surrender were negotiated here at Augustine Moore's home on October 18, 1781. The British were required to surrender with less than full honors, in accordance to the Articles of Capitulation.

"Surrender means to quit fighting and give up all your guns and become prisoners. It was good for America, but the war was sad."--Amanda

COLOR ME! Click on this image of the surrender at Yorktown for the full size picture, then print and color it!

From the Dover coloring book Story of the American Revolution by Peter Copeland

Surrender Field

"This is where Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington. But Cornwallis didn't really go. He chickened out, saying he was sick, and sent someone else." --Amanda
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Marquee de Lafayette

Beginning of long running Franco-American alliance. Lafayette, Louisiana (& Louisiana named after King Louis, who sent LaFayette, & sold "Louisiana Purchase" under Jefferson...)

Though LaFayette was neither born nor died here, his influence with King Louis (along with Benjamin Franklin's) led to the French support in America's revolution. Without French assistance, America couldn't have defeated the large British army.

Why Not, Lafayette?
by Jean Fritz, Ronald Himler (Illustrator)

Trip Tips

Yorktown Battlefield is part of the Colonial National Historical Park run by the National Park Service. The Junior Ranger program is the best way for kids to understand the events that happened here and their historical significance. Purchase the booklets from the visitor center gift shop and work through age-appropriate activities while touring the museum and walking the streets of Historic Yorktown.

Bring a lunch, or stop for a really great pizza at Waterstreet Landing, a cafe on the edge of the York River. (Highly recommended! Their pizza is exceptional, really!)

You can drive the 7-mile Battlefield Self-guided Tour and stop at marked sites to see the defense lines, gun batteries, siege lines, redoubts and the sites of the surrender. There is also a 9-mile Allied Encampment Tour with stops at the American Artillery Park and General Washington's Headquarters.

If you want to have a time travel experience of the Revolutionary War, spend a day at Yorktown Victory Center. Here, costumed interpreters recreate Continental Army camp life and 18th century farming. We didn't go, but it sounds like a fun way to learn the history of this event.
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Check out these resources from your local library, or click on these links to buy them online from Amazon.com. You'll get the same great price and help keep our pages on the web.

For Younger Readers

For Older Readers
Yorktown 1781 : The World Turned Upside Down (Campaign Series)
by Brendan Morrisey, Adam Hook (Illustrator)
The Journal of William Thomas Emerson : A Revolutionary War Patriot
by Barry Denenberg
Why Not, Lafayette?
by Jean Fritz, Ronald Himler (Illustrator)
The American Revolution (Landmark Books)
by Bruce Bliven, J. Thomas (Editor)

Amazon.com Find more books about Yorktown

ÊLiberty! - The American Revolution (1998)
Not Rated

Excellent 6 part series that describes the cause for independence, and the war that won it. We watched the whole series over a two week period as we studied this part of American History.
Lafayette in Two Worlds : Public Cultures and Personal Identities in an Age of Revolutions
by Lloyd Kramer
Lafayette : Hero of Two Nations ( Easy Biographies Series)
Keith Brandt, Scott Snow (Illustrator)
Yorktown 1781
by Brendan Morrissey

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