The Treaty of Paris (1783) formally ended the American Revolutionary War and recognized the United States as independent.
Representatives of Great Britain and the United States signed the treaty in Paris on September 3, 1783. The American negotiators were Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, John Jay, and Henry Laurens; David Hartley signed for Britain. The treaty recognized the former Thirteen Colonies as free, sovereign, and independent states.
It also established boundaries for the new nation, extending west to the Mississippi River, north to British North America, and south toward Spanish Florida. The agreement addressed fishing rights, debts, prisoners of war, and property claims by Loyalists. Congress ratified it on January 14, 1784, in Annapolis, Maryland.
The Treaty of Paris (1783) is distinct from other treaties bearing the same name, including the 1763 agreement that ended the Seven Years’ War and the 1783 treaties involving France and Spain. Its recognition of U.S. independence is a central milestone in the national story celebrated by America250.