The Treaty of Paris (1783) formally recognized United States independence after the American Revolutionary War, a defining milestone in the history commemorated by America250.
Representatives of Great Britain and the United States signed the treaty in Paris on September 3, 1783. Britain acknowledged the former Thirteen Colonies as free, sovereign, and independent states, ending the war between the two countries. The American negotiating team included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and Henry Laurens, while David Hartley represented Britain.
The treaty also established boundaries for the new nation, generally extending west to the Mississippi River, north to the Great Lakes, and south to Spanish Florida. It addressed issues involving debts, Loyalists, prisoners, and fishing rights. Congress ratified the agreement on January 14, 1784.
The name can cause confusion because the broader Peace of Paris included separate agreements involving Britain, France, Spain, and the Dutch Republic. The Treaty of Paris specifically refers to the bilateral agreement between Britain and the United States. It was signed in 1783, although the formal exchange of ratifications occurred in Paris in 1784.