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Treaty of Paris 1783 Facts & Worksheets

On September 3, 1783, the official peace treaty was signed ending the American Revolutionary War between the American colonies and Britain.

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On September 3, 1783, the official peace treaty was signed ending the American Revolutionary War between the American colonies and Britain. It was ratified by the Congress of the Confederation on January 14, 1784, and finally by King George III after three months.

See the fact file below for more information on the Treaty of Paris 1783 or alternatively, you can download our 26-page Treaty of Paris 1783 worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Historical Background

  • On October 19, 1781, British troops under the command of Lord Cornwallis laid down their arms at the Battle of Yorktown, which unofficially ended the American Revolutionary War. For another two years, minor battles continued to occur between British forces and the colonists.
  • In 1782, talks about a peace treaty began. The French Foreign Minister expected the Americans to team up with them in molding a diplomatic strategy but the Continental Congress distrusted the cause of the French and decided on an independent course.
  • In 1782, the Continental Congress formed a five-member commission who worked on negotiating a treaty. They were John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Jay and Henry Laurens. However, Jefferson stayed in the United States throughout the negotiation, while Laurens was captured by the British and was held at the Tower of London. Thus, Adams, Franklin and Jay were sent to France to negotiate the peace treaty.
  • In February 1783, King George III officially issued the Proclamation of Cessation of Hostilities, which subdued isolated confrontations.

1783 Peace Treaty of Paris

  • The negotiation was held in Paris, France. The American colony was represented by Adams, Franklin and Jay, while David Hartley and Richard Oswald, members of the British Parliament, represented King George III.
  • “…to establish such a beneficial and satisfactory intercourse between the two countries upon the ground of reciprocal advantages and mutual convenience as may promote and secure to both perpetual peace and harmony…”
    Excerpt from the Treaty of Paris, 1783
  • The document was signed at the Hotel d’York, where Hartley was staying.
  • The treaty pointed to the following terms:
    • British acknowledgment of American independence.
    • The American territory defined from the Great Lakes to the thirty-first parallel latitude from the Atlantic to the Mississippi, thus enabling westward expansion.
    • The Americans agreed to end the persecution of loyalists and to restore any confiscated properties during the war.
    • Both parties agreed not to block creditors from collecting debts.
    • All prisoners of war would be released.
    • American fishermen’s access to the Grand Banks and Canadian waters.
    • Freedom to navigate the Mississippi River by both parties.
  • Aside from the American colony, treaties were also negotiated with France, the Dutch Republic and Spain. Spain had joined the colonists and France in the war. Florida was kept by Spain at the peace treaty.
  • Based on the map, the United States (American colonies) gained western territories and was surrounded by Spanish Florida to the south and Spanish Louisiana to the west.
  • On January 14, 1784, the Treaty of Paris was ratified by the American Congress of Confederation.

Famous People

  • John Adams was one of the founding fathers of the United States. He was a delegate of the Continental Congress from Massachusetts, who worked on the Declaration of Independence and Treaty of Paris. Adams served as George Washington’s vice president and became the second president of the United States.
  • Thomas Jefferson, another founding father, was famous for primarily writing the Declaration of Independence. He became the third president of the United States.
  • A statesman and inventor, Benjamin Franklin was among the American representatives who worked on 1783 the Treaty of Paris. He was one of the five members who drafted the Declaration of Independence. Franklin was the only founding father to sign all four major documents in the early days of the United States. These include the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Treaty of Paris and the Treaty of Alliance with France.
  • John Jay was one of the founding fathers who became the first chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Jay was elected as the president of the Continental Congress in 1777, followed by his appointment as the U.S. minister to Spain. He was one of the representatives who brokered the Treaty of Paris.

After the Treaty

  • Many historians have commented that Britain was generous to the United States in the Treaty of Paris. Some even viewed that such generosity was based on the vision of close economic ties between the two nations.
  • After the treaty, British troops remained at their stations at six forts in the Great Lakes region. By 1794, they built additional forts in present-day Ohio but were later relinquished under the Jay Treaty.
  • On the other hand, the United States failed to compensate for the losses of the loyalists during the war.

Treaty of Paris 1783 Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Treaty of Paris 1783 across 26 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Treaty of Paris 1783 worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Treaty of Paris 1783. On September 3, 1783, the official peace treaty was signed ending the American Revolutionary War between the American colonies and Britain. It was ratified by the Congress of the Confederation on January 14, 1784, and finally by King George III after three months.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Treaty of Paris 1783 Facts
  • Three for Treaty
  • Article of 1783
  • America Before Paris
  • Treaties of Paris
  • Mapping Territories
  • The American Revolution
  • Knowing the Thirteen Colonies
  • Treaty of Threat
  • Unfinished Painting
  • British-American Relation

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