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3 September 1783Primary source · 2 sourcesWell documented

The Treaty of Paris Ends the War

Britain formally recognizes American independence

On the timeline · around 3 September 1783 · A New NationA New NationThe Treaty of Paris Ends the War1782178317841785

Quick facts

Location
Paris, France
Date
3 September 1783
American negotiators
John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay
Key provision
Britain recognizes U.S. independence and sovereignty

What happened

American negotiators John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay signed the Treaty of Paris with Great Britain on 3 September 1783, formally ending the Revolutionary War and, in its first article, having Britain acknowledge the United States as "free sovereign and Independent States," relinquishing all claims to their government and territory. The treaty set the new nation's boundaries roughly from the Atlantic to the Mississippi River and from the Great Lakes to Florida, and addressed fishing rights, debts owed to British creditors, and the treatment of Loyalists, though many of those provisions went unenforced for years. At least three signed originals exist, two held by the National Archives.

Why it matters

The treaty converted a military victory into a recognized, sovereign nation with defined borders, and its negotiators secured territory well beyond what France, America's own ally, had wanted the United States to receive. It set the stage for a decade of arguments over how, or whether, a confederation of thirteen separate states could actually govern that territory.

How we know

The National Archives holds two of the signed original treaty documents and has digitized the full text and transcript.

Sources

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Part of a timelineThe American Revolution30 events · How a tax dispute among British colonists became a war for independence and a new republicView all →
The Treaty of Paris Ends the War · The American Revolution · SourcedStory