Treaty of Paris (1783)
| The Definitive Treaty of Peace Between Great Britain and the United States of America | |
|---|---|
| Drafted | November 30, 1782 |
| Signed | September 3, 1783 |
| Location | Paris, France |
| Effective | May 12, 1784 |
| Condition | Ratification by Great Britain and the United States of America |
| Signatories | |
| Depositary | United States government |
| Language | English |
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The Treaty of Paris, signed in Paris by representatives of King George III of Great Britain and representatives of the United States of America on September 3, 1783, ended the American Revolutionary War. The treaty set the boundaries between the British Empire and the United States, on lines "exceedingly generous" to the latter. Details included fishing rights and restoration of property and prisoners of war.
This treaty and the separate peace treaties between Great Britain and the nations that supported the American cause — France, Spain, and the Dutch Republic — are known collectively as the Peace of Paris.
Only Article 1 of the treaty, which is the legal underpinning of United States' existence as a sovereign country, remains in force.
Peace negotiations began in April 1782, and continued through the summer. Representing the United States were Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Henry Laurens, and John Adams. David Hartley and Richard Oswald represented Great Britain. The treaty was signed at the Hotel d'York (presently 56 ) in Paris on September 3, 1783, by Adams, Franklin, Jay, and Hartley.
Regarding the American Treaty, the key episodes came in September, 1782, when the French Foreign Minister Vergennes proposed a solution that was strongly opposed by his ally the United States. France was exhausted by the war, and everyone wanted peace except Spain, which insisted on continuing the war until it could capture Gibraltar from the British. Vergennes came up with the deal that Spain would accept instead of Gibraltar. The United States would gain its independence but be confined to the area east of the Appalachian Mountains. Britain would take the area north of the Ohio River. In the area south of that would be set up an independent Indian state under Spanish control. It would be an Indian barrier state.
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