Treaty of Paris (1783)





The Treaty of Paris of 1783, signed on September 3, 1783, ended the American
War of Independence with the Kingdom of Great Britain formally:

   * recognizing the colonies as the United States of America [Article 1];
   * establishing the boundaries between the United States and British North
     America [Article 2];
   * granting fishing rights to United States fisherman in the Grand Banks,
     off the coast of Newfoundland and in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence
     [Article 3];
   * recognizing the lawful contracted debts to be paid to creditors on
     either side [Article 4];
   * United States Congress will "earnestly recommend" to state legislatures
     to recognize the rightful owners of all confiscated lands "provide for
     the restitution of all estates, rights, and properties, which have been
     confiscated belonging to real British subjects." [never implemented,
     Article 5];
   * United States Congress will prevent future confiscations [Article 6];
   * prisoners of war on both sides are to be released and all property left
     by British army in the United States unmolested (including "Negroes")
     [Article 7];
   * Great Britain and the United states were each to be given perpetual
     access to the Mississippi River [Article 8];
   * territories captured by Americans subsequent to treaty will be returned
     without compensation [Article 9];
   * ratification of the treaty was to occur within six months from the
     signing by the contracting parties [Article 10]

The treaty document was signed by David Hartley (member of the British
Parliament and representative of the British Monarch), John Adams, Benjamin
Franklin, and John Jay (all three representing the United States).

There was also a wider agreement of peace between Britain, France, Spain,
and the Netherlands. Spain also regained Florida.