The Battle of Kings Mountain had which effect on Cornwallis's campaign?

• A. A British victory
• B. Patriot victory boosting morale
• C. Stalemate
• D. Diplomatic accord

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is how a single battle can shift momentum and morale in a campaign. Kings Mountain was a decisive Patriot victory in October 1780, fought in the Southern theater of the American Revolution. American militiamen from the frontier and backcountry defeated a Loyalist force commanded by Patrick Ferguson, dealing a sharp blow to British plans to subdue the Carolinas through Loyalist support and regular troops.

This victory boosted Patriot morale and recruitment, showing that militia-led forces could defeat well-armed Loyalists in open country. It also undermined Loyalist support in the region and pressured Cornwallis, who could not safely rely on Loyalist mobilization to clear the backcountry. As a result, the campaign tempo in the South slowed, with the British forced to reassess their strategy and operations in the region.

The other outcomes—British victory, stalemate, or a diplomatic settlement—did not occur, making the Patriot victory boosting morale the most accurate description of the battle’s effect on Cornwallis’s campaign.