The Treaty of Paris officially ended the American Revolutionary War, a conflict preceding America250.
Representatives of Great Britain and the United States signed the treaty in Paris on September 3, 1783. Britain recognized the United States as free, sovereign, and independent states, formally ending the war between the two sides.
The treaty also established expansive boundaries for the new United States, reaching west to the Mississippi River and north toward the Great Lakes. It addressed fishing rights, debts, prisoners, and property claims. The agreement was part of the broader Peace of Paris, which included separate treaties involving France, Spain, and the Dutch Republic.
The Treaty of Paris is sometimes confused with the 1783 Treaty of Versailles, which involved Britain, France, and Spain. The American treaty’s specific significance is its recognition of United States independence. Congress ratified it in Annapolis on January 14, 1784.