On October 19, 1781, British General Charles Cornwallis and his troops surrendered to the American and French forces at Yorktown. The Battle of Yorktown lasted from September 29 until October 19. Aided by the French naval victory in the Chesapeake Bay, General George Washington and his troops were able to corner the British forces at Yorktown and force a surrender. The British defeat at Yorktown led Great Britain to begin negotiations leading to the Treaty of Paris in 1783.
