Treaty of Paris 1783

Although the Battle of Yorktown was the last major battle of the Revolutionary War, it did not end the war. The treaty was signed in Paris, France by British and American representatives on September 3, 1783. 

The war was officially ended by the signing of the Treaty of Paris.

A treaty is an agreement between countries.

The treaty was signed in Paris, France by British and American representatives on September 3, 1783. 

Benjamin Franklin was sent to France to give Richard Oswald, the British representative, a list of American terms for ending the war.

Americans wanted the British king and Parliament to accept American independence by removing British soldiers from American soil (land)

The Americans and the British talked with each other to work out an agreement. This is called negotiation. 

It took over a year of negotiations before both countries came to an agreement and the treaty could be signed. 

The Treaty of Paris recognized the United States of America as a new independent nation. The treaty also defined the borders of the new nation.

The northern border of the United States would be an imaginary line through the Great Lakes

The Southern border would reach to Florida. The Mississippi River formed the Western border.

With the signing of the Treaty of Paris, the United States was now an independent nation.