In 1780, America's battered army received much needed reinforcements from France. While Great Britain was fighting in America, it had also declared war on France. Hence, France sent 5,500 troops to America to aid in the revolution.

While the Patriots were holding their own in the north, the British had gained control of much of the south. Patriot General George Washington and French
General Comte de Rochambeau made plans to trick the Redcoats and General Henry Clinton into thinking they were preparing for battle in New York. Secretly,
they planned to trap Cornwallis' army at Yorktown, which the British had fortified and planned to use as a harbor.

By the end of September 1781, Patriot and French forces had established an overwhelming army at Williamsburg, VA. When Cornwallis learned of the
forces looming against him, he sent for reinforcements - which never made it on time. After his defenses were decimated by gunfire and raids, and after failed attempts at evacuation, Cornwallis was forced to surrender his army of over 8,000. Yorktown marked the end of the war, as the British lost the resolve to fight and focused on other engagementsin Europe and Asia. in 1783, the Treaty of Paris was signed, recognizing American independence.