The World Turned Upside Down

The World Turned Upside Down The BIG mistake that cost the British… The general in charge of British armies in the South was Lord Charles Cornwallis Had spent a year chasing American forces in the South Decided to move his army to Virginia Felt he could defeat the soldiers in Virginia, and that would crush the Americans and end the war Chose a small town called Yorktown for his base Located on the York River, which flows into the ocean

The World Turned Upside Down The general in charge of British armies in the South was Lord Charles Cornwallis Had spent a year chasing American forces in the South Decided to move his army to Virginia Felt he could defeat the soldiers in Virginia, and that would crush the Americans and end the war Chose a small town called Yorktown for his base Located on the York River, which flows into the ocean Ships could easily reach him to get him supplies Also left his troops without a place to retreat. If they were attacked, they’d have to retreat toward the river and ocean, where they would get stuck! But Cornwallis felt safe with the British navy nearby...

Washington responds While Cornwallis was setting up his base at Yorktown, Washington was meeting with French general Rochambeau in Rhode Island The French had already sent an army to help out, and had a large French fleet of ships on the way Washington and General Rochambeau were making a plan to attack in New York City, when the news of Yorktown arrived Washington recognized the mistake Cornwallis had made…

Washington responds Washington decided to forget about attacking in New York City- the American and French armies should head to Virginia immediately! The two armies combined could trap Cornwallis with his army’s back against the river If the French fleet could arrive in time, they could prevent the British fleet from helping Cornwallis Then Cornwallis would have to surrender! In one single victory, Washington could win the war! But Yorktown was 500 miles away… Washington’s military career had begun with a 500 mile journey during the French & Indian War, and that journey ended in failure and disappointment- could this journey end in victory and success?

Traveling to Yorktown It took more than a month for the American and French armies to get to Yorktown Then, they took a few days to fortify Yorktown Built trenches around the town, surrounding it by land

The battle October 9, 1781 at 5:00 PM The first cannon was fired, and the battle began! For once, the American army had more weapons and ammo, and the British were outnumbered: British + Germans = 9,000 soldiers Americans (about 11,000 soldiers) + French (about 8,800 soldiers) = nearly 20,000 soldiers!

The battle, cont. Cornwallis looked to the sea for help No help came! The French fleet had driven off the British fleet! Cornwallis and his army were on their own… Each day, Washington moved his army closer and closer, tightening the half-ring a bit more Washington rode back and forth amongst his men, taking the chance of being shot as he rode through the troops His soldiers cheered him on, grateful for their leader

The battle, cont. Cornwallis was trapped, his back to the water, amidst the fire of guns and the roar of cannons On October 17, recognizing that it was useless to continue, General Cornwallis surrendered to General Washington

The battle, cont. Two days later, the American and French forces formed two long lines The defeated British troops marched between the armies that had beaten them, as they left the town While they marched out of Yorktown, a British army band played a tune they all knew, an old nursery rhyme… Strange song to play, perhaps, but it was chosen for its words-

British Nursery Rhyme If buttercups buzzed after the bee, If boats were on land, churches on sea, If ponies rode men, and if grass ate the corn, And cats should be chased into holes by the mouse, If the mammas sold babies for half a crown, If summer were spring, and the other way ‘round, Then all the world would be upside down

Victory & Independence A ragtag collection of citizen soldiers had defeated one of the world’s greatest armies For the first time in world history, colonists had defeated a mother country The United States of America had been created, and the British Empire had been humbled American colonies were now officially “free and independent states”

A Final Word… The American Revolution produced many of the world’s finest heroes: George Washington, John Paul Jones, Nathan Hale, to name just a few Most of the heroes from the war were just ordinary people, whose names never made it to the history books They were the Minutemen at Lexington The soldiers shivering at Valley Forge The women who cared for the ill and wounded, and kept farms and towns running Farm families who shared food with soldiers Townspeople who gave the soldiers housing Women, children, and older men who made weapons and gunpowder Ordinary people who did extraordinary things to raise the spirits of the soldiers, and to keep the war going

A Final Word… At the beginning of the war, the question for Americans was, “Are we capable of winning?” When the war was over, people across the world asked, “How could the American colonies have possibly won a war against the one of the world’s greatest military powers?” The answer was obvious to the Americans… The main reason the Revolutionary War was won is that ordinary Americans refused to lose it.