Question

checkpoint: the revolutionary war: strategies, battles, and turning points
listen
which sentence best explains why the french naval blockade was crucial to the american victory at yorktown?
click on the sentence to highlight the answer.
the french naval blockade played a critical role in ensuring american victory at yorktown. admiral de grasse’s fleet engaged and defeated the british navy, preventing reinforcements from reaching general cornwallis. this left cornwallis trapped, allowing american and french troops to complete their siege.
the british had planned to send more troops, but the blockade made it impossible.
question 1
question 2
question 3
question 4
question 5
question 6
6 of 6

Explanation:

To determine why the French Naval Blockade was crucial to the American victory at Yorktown, we analyze each sentence:

• The first sentence states the blockade played a critical role (topic sentence, but we need the reason).
• The second sentence: Admiral de Grasse’s fleet defeated the British navy, preventing reinforcements from reaching Cornwallis. This trapping allowed the siege to be completed. This explains the mechanism of how the blockade was crucial (prevented British reinforcements, enabling the siege).
• The third sentence talks about British plans being thwarted by the blockade, but it's a secondary effect compared to the direct impact on trapping Cornwallis.

So the sentence "Admiral de Grasse’s fleet engaged and defeated the British navy, preventing reinforcements from reaching General Cornwallis. This left Cornwallis trapped, allowing American and French troops to complete their siege." explains the crux of the blockade's role.

Answer:

Admiral de Grasse’s fleet engaged and defeated the British navy, preventing reinforcements from reaching General Cornwallis. This left Cornwallis trapped, allowing American and French troops to complete their siege.