The Treaty of Paris, signed in 1783, formally ended the American Revolutionary War and recognized the independence of the United States.
American and British negotiators signed the preliminary peace articles in November 1782, then completed the definitive treaty on September 3, 1783. The agreement established the United States as an independent nation and set its boundaries broadly from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River and from the Great Lakes to Florida.
The treaty also addressed fishing rights, debts, prisoners, and property. Britain recognized American independence, while the new United States agreed to recommend that states restore confiscated Loyalist property and honor legitimate prewar debts. Not every provision was fully carried out.
The Treaty of Paris is distinct from the 1783 Treaty of Paris that ended the Seven Years’ War and from the 1783 armistice arrangements. It also differs from the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the War of 1812 decades later.