“Southern Strategy” Attempt to draw on Loyalist sympathies Coastline and navigable rivers lend themselves to British Naval strength. Utilize ports as secure holdings Launch forays into the countryside Press North to pacify the colonies Slaves in the South could be utilized against colonists "all indentured servants, Negroes, or others...free that are able and willing to bear arms...” - Lord Dunmore (Royal Gov. of Va) 1775

 Clinton and Cornwallis  Follows the success at Savannah Georgia (1778)  Largest capture of American forces (5,500)  Southern Strategy continues to work  Start south  march north

 Continental Congress moves forces away from Washington to create a southern army under Horatio Gates  British win easily  Gates is replaced by Nathanael Greene  Began to launch small isolated guerilla raids throughout the backcountry  Supplemented by colonial militias

 Battle of Cowpens (Jan. 1781)  Americans under Daniel Morgan win decisively  Battle of Guilford Courthouse (March 1781)  Cornwallis defeats Greene, but at a huge cost  Retreats to the Wilmington

 Cornwallis moves into Virginia to cut off Colonial supplies  The problem… high costs of victory  Forced to turn back… to the coast  Protected by the British fleet, his position on the peninsula is secure… UNTIL….  French naval forces under Comte de Grasse arrive from West Indies… why in West Indies?  Washington and Continental Army begin move on Yorktown. Deploys Lafayette to attack  After a 3 week siege, British surrender on Oct. 17, 1781

 Acknowledging the United States as free & independent  Establishing US Boundaries  Fishing rights off of Newfoundland  Debts to be paid  The Congress encourages states to give back property to loyalists  United States will prevent future confiscations of the property of Loyalists  Return of prisoners of war  Access to the Mississippi for both GB & US  Territories captured by Americans after the treaty will be returned  Timing of ratification