How Did George Washington Change American History

George Washington changed American History by commanding the Continental Army during the War for Independence. First off, Washington used the strategy of attrition to wear the British out during the war. Secondly, Washington helped to raise morale by winning the battles of Trenton and Princeton. Finally, Washington helped the United States by forcing the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. Overall, his tactic of attrition helped to win the war. Without Washington’s aide, America would still be part of the British colonies today. To help win the War for Independence, George Washington used the strategy of attrition. The strategy of attrition includes Washington prolonging the war as long as he possibly can to wear out the British of supplies

Washington and the Continental Army had finally won the War for Independence and were free to have a country under the control of its own people instead of the British government. Originally, Cornwallis planned to keep his troops at Old Fort Comfort. In The Battle of Yorktown: Explora Public Libraries by Eric Badertscher, it states that “Cornwallis' engineers told him that Old Point Comfort was not defensible enough, so the general decided to establish Yorktown as his main base.” This move lead to the cornering of Cornwallis’ and his troops in Yorktown. Cornwallis brought his troops to Yorktown and was then trapped by the Continental Army along with the assistance of the French. The army kept Cornwallis and his soldiers from being able to escape by land, while the French Navy had trapped the British ships from escaping by sea. Out of supplies, Cornwallis finally raised the white flag and surrendered to Washington and his troops on October 19, 1781. The Articles of Capitulation gave the land troops of the British to the United States as prisoners of war, and the navy ships to the French. Cornwallis wrote that “The garrisons of York and Gloucester including the officers and seamen of his Britannic Majesty’s ships, as well as other mariners, to surrender themselves prisoners of war to the combined forces of America and France. The land troops to remain prisoners to the United States, the navy to the naval army of his Most Christian Majesty,” in Article I. Washington’s victory over Cornwallis, forcing his surrender, played a crucial role in Washington’s impact on American History. This victory led to his presidency of the United