1781: The Decisive Year of the Revolutionary War

The Treaty of Paris in 1783 formally ended the American Revolutionary War, but it was the pivotal campaigns and battles of 1781 that decided the final outcome. 1781 was one of those rare years in American history when the future of the nation hung by a thread, and only the fortitude, determination, and sacrifice of its leaders and citizenry ensured its survival.

By 1781, America had been at war with the world’s strongest empire for six years with no end in sight. British troops occupied key...