The Battle of Yorktown — fought 1781
The Battle of Yorktown was fought in 1781, during the Industrial Age (18th century), and marked a decisive turn in the surrounding conflict.
Context
Industrial Age — Steam, revolutions, and the modern world takes shape. That's about 189 years ago, roughly 2 centuries back. Around the same time, the world was also seeing the Congress of the Confederation, or Confederation Congress (1781) and the first meeting of the Confederation Congress (1781).
Why it matters
The outcome of The Battle of Yorktown in 1781 affected the strategy, morale, and political footing of every side involved — a pivot the rest of the conflict flowed from.
Did you know?
Just 0 years after, the Congress of the Confederation, or Confederation Congress (1781) was also making headlines — a reminder how much history can compress into a single decade.
Era
Industrial Age
Steam, revolutions, and the modern world takes shape.
Category
Events
Events tell the story of moments that reshaped daily life — disasters, revolutions, discoveries, and turning points that split history into before and after.
Contemporary events
What else was happening in the world around this time.
Sources & further reading7 verified references · tap to open
About this lesson. Overview, context, and “Why it matters” are generated summaries written for study and gameplay. Dates and category placement come from the Timeline question bank[1]; era descriptions are adapted from standard historical periodisation[2]. For primary sources and in-depth reading, use the references below.
- Timeline question bank — © the game's original author, used with permission.
- Era framework based on Wikipedia's Human history overview, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Wikipedia
Community-maintained encyclopedia entry with citations.
Encyclopædia Britannica
Editorially reviewed reference articles.
Library of Congress
Primary sources, photographs, and archival records.
National Archives
Original U.S. government documents and records.
Smithsonian
Museum collections and curator-written explainers.
BBC History
Long-form explainers and documentaries.
History.com
Timelines and topic overviews from HISTORY.
Educational content notice
Lessons are for general historical education, not professional advice. Some entries touch on wars, violence, or other sensitive events — appropriate for ages 9+. External links open in your browser and are not controlled by Timeline.
Quick check
Which of these happened in 1781?
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