The final battle of the American Revolutionary War was the Battle of Yorktown, fought in 1781. It was a decisive engagement in which American and French forces, commanded by General George Washington, laid siege to British General Cornwallis’s troops. The outcome effectively ended major fighting in the revolution, as Cornwallis surrendered on October 19, 1781. This victory was pivotal, leading to the negotiation of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which officially recognized American independence. The success at Yorktown galvanized support for the revolutionary cause, both domestically and internationally, solidifying the resolve of the Continental Army against British rule.