The Treaty of Paris, signed in 1783, formally ended the American Revolutionary War and recognized United States independence.
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, while David Hartley represented Britain. The agreement acknowledged the United States as free, sovereign, and independent states.
The treaty also established boundaries for the new nation, addressed fishing rights, and included provisions concerning debts, property, and prisoners. The United States Congress ratified it on January 14, 1784, in Annapolis, Maryland. The treaty became effective after the ratifications were exchanged in Paris on May 12, 1784.
This treaty is distinct from the 1778 Treaty of Alliance with France, which supported the American war effort but did not end the war. It is also different from the 1814 Treaty of Ghent, which ended the War of 1812.