The Battle of Yorktown, fought in 1781, is considered the climactic moment of the American Revolutionary War. This decisive battle saw General George Washington's Continental Army, with the support of French forces, lay siege to British General Cornwallis's troops. The British surrender at Yorktown effectively ended major military operations in the war and secured American independence. The victory boosted American morale and demonstrated the effectiveness of colonial resistance against British rule, ultimately leading to the negotiation of peace and the Treaty of Paris in 1783.