The Treaty of Paris of 1783 By ThoughtCo.com, adapted by Newsela staff on 10.23.17 Word Count 994 Level 1150L After the Treaty of Paris was signed, British forces evacuated New York City on November 25, 1783. This painting shows General George Washington's triumphant entry into the city. Washington is riding a white horse. Image from the Library of Congress The Battle of Yorktown, in October 1781, was the last major battle of the American Revolutionary War. British forces were decisively defeated by combined American and French forces, and following this loss, Britain decided offensive campaigns in North America should cease in favor of a different, more limited approach. This decision was spurred by the widening of the war to include France, Spain and the Dutch Republic. Through the fall and following winter, British colonies in the Caribbean fell to enemy forces. So, too, did the island of Minorca, which was regained by Spain. With anti-war forces growing in power, British Prime Minister Lord North's government fell in late March 1782. It was replaced by one led by Lord Rockingham. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 1 Learning that North's government had fallen, Benjamin Franklin, the American ambassador in Paris, wrote to Rockingham expressing a desire to begin peace negotiations. Understanding that making peace was a necessity, Rockingham chose to embrace the opportunity. This, of course, pleased Franklin, and his fellow negotiators John Adams, Henry Laurens and John Jay. However, they made it clear that the terms of the United States' alliance with France prevented them from making peace without French approval. In moving forward, the British decided not to accept American independence as a necessary requirement for beginning talks. This reluctance was due to their knowledge that France was experiencing financial difficulties and a hope that military fortunes could be reversed. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 2 Negotiations proceeded slowly To begin the process, Richard Oswald was sent to meet with the Americans, while Thomas Grenville was dispatched to begin talks with the French. With negotiations proceeding slowly, Rockingham died in July 1782, and Lord Shelburne became the head of the British government. Though British military operations began to have success, the French stalled for time as they were working with Spain to capture Gibraltar. In addition, the French sent a secret representative to London, as there were several issues, including fishing rights, on which they disagreed with their American allies. The French and Spanish were also concerned about American insistence on the Mississippi River as a western border. In September, Jay learned of the secret French mission and wrote to Shelburne detailing why he should not be influenced by the French and Spanish. In this same period, Franco-Spanish operations against Gibraltar were failing, and the French were looking for ways to exit the conflict. Agreeing to the terms Leaving their allies to bicker amongst themselves, the Americans became aware of a letter, sent during the summer to George Washington, in which Shelburne conceded the point of independence. Armed with this knowledge, they resumed talks with Oswald. With the issue of independence settled, they began hammering out the details, which included determining what the borders of the new country would be. The Americans were able to get the British to agree to the borders established before the Quebec Act of 1774. The 1774 agreement gave territory claimed by American colonists to the French Canadians in Quebec. By the end of November, the two sides produced a preliminary treaty based on the following points: • Great Britain recognized the 13 Colonies to be free, sovereign and independent states. • The borders of the United States would be those of 1763, extending west to the Mississippi. • The United States would receive fishing rights on the Grand Banks and Gulf of St. Lawrence. • All contracted debts were to be paid to creditors on each side. • Colonial Loyalists who had supported the British during the war would receive payment for property seized from them. • The United States would prevent property from being taken from Loyalists in the future. • All prisoners of war were to be released. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 3 • Both the United States and Great Britain were to have perpetual access to the Mississippi River. • Territory captured by the United States after the treaty was written was to be returned. • Formal approval of the treaty was to occur within six months of signing. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 4 After the British beat back a massive Franco-Spanish assault on Gibraltar in October, the French ceased to have any interest in aiding the Spanish. As a result, they were willing to accept a separate Anglo-American peace. Reviewing the treaty, they grudgingly accepted it on November 30. Unpopular in Britain With French approval, the Americans and Oswald signed a preliminary treaty on November 30. The terms of the treaty provoked a political firestorm in Britain, where the loss of territory, abandonment of the Loyalists and granting of fishing rights proved particularly unpopular. This backlash forced Shelburne to resign and a new government was formed under the Duke of Portland. Replacing Oswald with David Hartley, Portland hoped to modify the treaty. This was blocked by the Americans, who insisted on no changes. As a result, Hartley and the American delegation signed the Treaty of Paris on September 3, 1783. Both the United States and Britain formally approved the treaty the following year. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 5 This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 6 The treaty signed between Britain and the new United States was just one of several treaties Britain signed on or around September 3. The British signed a treaty with the Dutch on September 2, and treaties with the French and Spanish on September 3. Collectively, these four treaties are known as the Peace of Paris. Britain retained control of Canada, and regained the Bahamas, but lost Minorca and East and West Florida to Spain. It also lost Senegal in Africa, and Tobago in the Caribbean, to France. The Dutch also lost out, giving up the port city of Nagapattinam in India, to Britain. The Dutch did get back from the British a port city in Sri Lanka that they had formerly controlled. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 7.