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.