The correct answer is the Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, which formally brought the American Revolutionary War to a close. This historic agreement was reached between Great Britain and the newly independent United States of America, as well as America's allies, France and Spain. The treaty marked the official recognition by Britain of American independence, a pivotal moment in world history.
Negotiations took place in Paris, with American representatives including John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay. These men skillfully secured terms that were surprisingly favorable to the United States. One of the most significant terms was Britain's acknowledgment of the United States as "free, sovereign, and independent states." Additionally, the treaty established boundaries for the United States, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River, and from Canada in the north to Spanish Florida in the south.
The Treaty of Paris also addressed other concerns. It granted American fishermen rights to fish in the waters off Newfoundland, provided that debts owed to British creditors would be repaid, and advised that property confiscated from Loyalists during the war should be returned. While some of these clauses proved difficult to enforce, the treaty overall was a diplomatic triumph for the fledgling republic.
It's important not to confuse this 1783 Treaty of Paris with other treaties of the same name. For example, the Treaty of Paris (1763) ended the French and Indian War, and the Treaty of Ghent (1814) ended the War of 1812. The Treaty of Versailles (1919) concluded World War I, and the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) was a deal between Spain and Portugal dividing up newly discovered lands. Among these, only the 1783 Treaty of Paris brought an end to the American Revolution and secured the birth of the United States.
