Treaty of Paris Signed: America Gains Independence
John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay signed the Treaty of Paris at the Hotel d'York on September 3, 1783, with British negotiator David Hartley representing King George III. The treaty recognized American independence, established boundaries from the Atlantic to the Mississippi, granted Americans fishing rights off Newfoundland, and required Congress to recommend that states restore confiscated Loyalist property. The boundary lines were drawn on an inaccurate map, creating disputes that persisted for decades. Britain ceded more territory than the Americans had militarily won, partly because the French alliance made London eager to conclude peace quickly and partly because British negotiators hoped generous terms would keep America from becoming a permanent French ally.
September 3, 1783
243 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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