The Treaty of Paris of 1783

After the defeat of the British at Yorktown in October, 1781, leaders in Parliament decided that the war in America should stop. The British also lost colonies in the Caribbean. With more people seeking peace, Lord North's government fell in late March 1782 and was replaced by one led by Lord Rockingham. Learning this, Benjamin Franklin wrote to him asking him to begin peace negotiations. Rockingham agreed as it was necessary to him. Franklin's fellow negotiators, John Adams, Henry Laurens and John Jay felt they could not make this negotiation without French approval. British decided that they would not accept American independence as a precondition. 

     

Rockingham died in July 1782 and Lord Shelbourne became the head of the British government. The French delayed the process as they were working with Spain to capture Gibraltar. In addition, the French sent a secret envoy to London as there were several issues, including fishing rights on the Grand Banks, on which they disagreed with their American allies. The French and Spanish were also worried about American insistence on the Mississippi River as a western border. In September, John Jay learned of the secret French mission and wrote to Shelburne saying he shouldn't heed the French and Spanish. The Americans then received notification of a letter sent by Shelburne to George Washington agreeing on independence. Now that independence was agreed upon, Americans began discussing the details of border issues and reparations. The British agreed on the borders established after the French and Indian war rather than those set by the Quebec act of 1774. 

On November 30, Americans and British signed a preliminary treaty. These were some of the stand conditions:

Great Britain recognized the Thirteen 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.

The Congress of the Confederation would recommend that each state legislature provide restitution for property taken from Loyalists.

The United States would prevent property from being taken from Loyalists in the future.

All prisoners of war were to be released.

Both the United States and Great Britain were to have perpetual access to the Mississippi.

Territory captured by the United States subsequent to the treaty was to be returned.

Ratification of the treaty was to occur within six months of signing.

With reluctance, the French also signed the treaty. The terms provoked much discord in Britain. Shelburne was forced to resign and the Duke of Portland was put in charge. The duke hoped to modify the treaty to include the loyalists among other things. These conditions were not accepted. The American delegation and the British singed the treaty of Paris on September 3,1783. The treat was ratified on January 14, 1783. 

                                          

The Battle of Yorktown - The Last Battle

The Battle of Yorktown was the last battle fought in the Revolution. It was fought September 28 to October 19, 1781. General George Washington commanded the American army of 8,800 soldiers. The 7,800 French soldiers were commanded by Lieutenant General Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau. On the enemy side, the 7,500 British men were commanded by Lord Charles Cornwallis. In August 1781, General George Washington learned that Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis' army was encamped near Yorktown. After discussing options with his French ally Washington decided to quietly move his army away from New York City with the goal of crushing Cornwallis' army. They departed in August 21, 1781.

      

Rear Admiral Comte de Grasse supported this plan and agreed to help by blocking the British entry through the Chesapeake. On September 5, a British fleet led by Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Graves arrived and attacked the French. This resulted in a battle. De Grasse defeated the British and led them away from the bay. Washington arrived at Williamsburg on September 17 and met with De Grasse to ensure he remain in the bay. They joined forces with Marquis de Lafayette and with the army assambled, Washington and Rochambeau began the march to Yorktown on September 28. A Franco-American army was led by the Comte de Choissey to oppose the British on Gloucester Point. Cornwallis was outnumbered 2 - 1. 

For the next three days following the night of October 5 and 6, French and American guns fired against the British. Feeling himself losing, Cornwallis wrote to General Henry Clinton on October 10 calling for help. Their situation worsened because of a smallpox outbreak in the town. On the night of October 16, Cornwallis shifted 1,000 men and his wounded to Gloucester Point with the goal of transferring his army across the river and breaking out to the north. This plan was interrupted when a storm scattered them. Out of ammunition for his guns and unable to shift his army, Cornwallis decided to open negotiations with Washington. At 9:00 AM on October 17, a single drummer mounted the British works and beat the long roll as a lieutenant waved a white flag.

The fighting at Yorktown cost the allies 72 killed and 180 wounded. British losses were higher and included 156 killed, 326 wounded. Cornwallis signed the official surrender papers on October 19. At noon the French and American armies lined up to await the British surrender. Two hours later the British marched out with flags furled and their bands playing "The World Turned Upside Down." Claiming he was ill, Cornwallis sent Brigadier General Charles O'Hara in his stead. Approaching the allied leadership, O'Hara attempted to surrender to Rochambeau but was instructed by the Frenchman to approach the Americans. As Cornwallis was not present, Washington directed O'Hara to surrender to Lincoln, who was now serving as his second-in-command. 

Valley Forge

"These are the times that try men's souls." Thomas Paine

The Continental Army had suffered many defeats. The British had captured Philadelphia and the continental army could not get it back. Washington had no place to settle his troops. He finally decided on taking them to Valley Forge, located 20 miles outside Philadelphia. He could keep an eye on the British while he decided what to do next. Although no battles were fought, many men died. The continental army remained camped at Valley Forge for 6 months during winter. Men had no food, medicine or clothes and had to sleep in small log cabins. They were hungry, sick and cold and anxious to go back to their families.

George Washington worried that when their stay at Valley Forge ended, he might no longer have an army. Most of his men were farmers with families, not soldiers. However, he was determined to keep his army together. The war was not about territory, it was about freedom. The army knew it, but were unhappy with their series of defeats. They were cold, hungry and dying while the British were warm and happy at Philadelphia.
Washington needed soldiers who would not just fight effectively but would also show the idea of freedom. Washington needed that people at home would also be strong so they could provide food, clothing, information and morale.

Martha Washington was a wonderful help for Washington's plans. His soldiers were having severe problems. They were starving and freezing since they used thin clothes and rags in their feet. Martha helped them by donating as much food as she could and sewing more adequate clothes.
Even though she was tiny, she was organized and powerful. Martha managed to convince other women to help her. Soldiers who survived called her "Lady Washington" since they knew that without her they wouldn't have managed to survive. Baron Von Steuben also help the army become more professional. He taught  them how to march, fight and follow orders. Troops continued to receive help and when they marched away, Washington knew his army had become better and that he had archived his goal.

 

       

Cornwallis

Charles Cornwallis lead several wars throughout his life securing British victories at New York, Brandywine and Camden. In 1781 he became second in command to Henry Clinton. Cornwallis lead his troops down to Virginia. This was when he lost at Yorktown. This was what marked the end of war and made a final decision. Before going to America, Cornwallis served for the army of Germany during the Seven Year War. He became major general in 1775. Cornwallis use to work under Clinton's orders. 

George Washington had surprised him in the crossing of the Delaware. Washington had also beat him the the Battle of Princeton. However he outflanked Washington's position in the Battle of Brandywine. Cornwallis was named second in command of the British army. This gave him even more responsibility. Cornwallis lead the Battle of Monmouth Courthouse. When Clinton departed to New York on June 8 and since Cornwallis was second in command, he had to lead the troops in the South. 

Cornwallis managed to defeat Horatio Gates at the Battle of Camden. The American militia seemed as if they couldn't confront them. Because of this North Carolina was left exposed to British. Cornwallis believed he should have captured North Carolina but was delayed since there was a hit weather,  his food supplies had been stolen and his troops got sick.

Cornwallis seemed unable to control South Carolina because American patriots were strong there. He wanted to go back to the north and cut the American supplies. According to him, this way he would be 

able  to go back go the south settlements. British crossed Roanoke and they went to fight a decisive battle in Virginia. The lack of loyalist support made it unable to accomplish his goals. Instead he had to settle in a low lying, not fortified place in Yorktown. This was when he saw the American and French strength. Cornwallis got aware that he could not escape and had to surrender. However this defeat did not affect his reputation that much. This was because he was sent to India as commander in chief of a new army.

Benjamin Franklin

​Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston on January 17, 1706. He was the 15th of 17 children and that is why his family was poor. This was why Benjamin had to look up for himself which made him even more independent. When Benjamin was 12, he worked with his brother James as an apprentice and even wrote some of the articles himself. All of this were published anonymously since they thought no one would be interested in the writings of a teenage boy.  At the age of seventeen, Franklin ran away from home. He wanted to live his life by his own so he moved to Philadelphia. The next year he traveled to London to work in a print shop. Two years later he went back to America, but did not return to his house. Instead he went to Philadelphia again were after two years he opened his own print office. Benjamin Franklin was twenty three when he bought the Pennsylvania Gazette and hoped to make it the best newspaper it could be. After a year, he married Deborah Rogers with which he had three children. Two of them survived to adulthood and Francis born in 1732 died at the age of four. In that same year, he published the Poor Richard's Almanack under the name Richard Saunders. Franklin kept publishing the Gazette until 1748 when he sold it and retired from printing. Benjamin Franklin was active in his community, he founded a volunteer fire company, became the city's postmaster, organized the Philadelphia militia, helped create Pennsylvania's first university, organized the first city hospital, and the first subscription library in Philadelphia.  

​Curiosity was a key factor for Benjamin's inventions. He wanted to know why things worked the way they did and how to make them better. Throughout his life he created different things. First of all, he invented what today is known as bifocals. Since he had poor vision and was tired of taking away and putting back again his glasses, he wanted to invent a way to see both near and far. What he did was that he cut two pair of spectacles in half and put half of each lens in a single frame. Franklin wanted to help his older brother John who had kidney stones, so he developed, a flexible urinary catheter that is is known to be the first one produced in America. Throughout his life, Franklin made several voyages which allowed him to learn about ships. He suggested following the Chinese model of dividing the watertight compartments so if a leak occurred, the water would not spread throughout the ship. Benjamin did not invent the electricity however he did invent the lightning rod which protected the buildings and ships from lightning damage. People in America used to build a fireplace to warm their homes even if it was dangerous. Benjamin Franklin built an iron furnace stove which was called Franklin stove. This stove allowed people to get warm under safer conditions. Franklin also invented an odometer to keep tack of the distance he traveled while delivering the mail. When Benjamin was old, and already retired, he wanted to spend his time reading but discovered that he didn't reach the high book shelves. This is why he invented a long arm which was a wooden pole with a grasping claw at the end to make it easier for him to reach his books.

​Benjamin Franklin had a long political life. He first served in Pennsylvania's colonial legislature. During the French and Indian War he was elected to represent Pennsylvania at the Albany Congress making one of the first proposals to bring the colonies together under a central authority. The Congress accepted it but the colonial legislatures rejected it since they saw it as a threat. Years later he went to London in representation of several colonies and when the Stamp Act crisis arose, he spoke against it demonstrating he now believed on taxation without representation. 1775-1776 Benjamin became a member of the Continental Congress, and served on the committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence.  He was the oldest one who signed this document. Later on, Franklin left the Continental Congress to become the president of Pennsylvania's constitutional convention. One of his greatest achievements was that he worked as minister to France making the nation's first foreign alliance. Franklin negotiated treaties of commerce and alliances, obtained loans and along with John Jay and John Adams negotiated the Treaty of Paris. When independence was finally achieved, he came back to Pennsylvania to serve as the Supreme Executive Council of Philadelphia. One of the last things he did was sign a memorial to Congress urging the abolition of slavery and becoming the first president of the Pennsylvania Society for the Abolition of Slavery. Benjamin Franklin was the only person who signed the four key documents of the American History which were: the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Alliance with France, the Treaty of peace with Great Britain and the Constitution of the United States.