An American Delegation in Paris
Two hundred and forty-two years ago this September, the Revolutionary War for America’s independence came to an end with the signing of the Treaty of Paris. Three American delegates—John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay—were responsible for brokering the final peace deal. While this important treaty ended military conflict between the two nations (until the onset of the War of 1812), it also established new national boundaries, outlined fishing rights, and helped establish what is now known as Canada. In honor of this milestone, let’s explore the plethora of original records from the National Archives that tell the story of how this peace, even if short-lived, came to be.
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Now why would a peace agreement between the United States and Great Britain be called the Treaty of…Paris? What does Paris, or even France, for that matter, have to do with this conflict?
In point of fact, the American Revolution was not just limited to the two entities. In many ways, this was a global conflict, with several other nations, namely France, Spain, and the Netherlands, investing both directly and indirectly in the cause of American independence. Other nations saw diplomatic importance in recognizing an independent United States, including Morocco, which was the first nation to do so in 1777 (formally recognized by treaty in 1786).
Formal negotiations started in Paris in the spring of 1782 following George Washington’s crucial victory with the French army at the Siege of Yorktown, where British troops surrendered in 1781. France’s central role throughout the conflict, as well as its logistically convenient location, made it a sensible location for peace talks.
The Siege of Yorktown
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George Washington’s Map of the Siege of Yorktown, 1781
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John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay had all been serving as diplomats, at the time called “ministers,” for the American cause during the Revolutionary War. Adams served in the Netherlands, Franklin served in France, and Jay served in Spain when the negotiations began in 1782.
Much of the process centered around land because the Continental Congress wanted to ensure that westward expansion would be possible for the young nation. However, France, Britain, and Spain still wanted control over their various North American parcels. After considerable discussion, it was settled that the American boundaries would consist of the northern border that’s still in place, along with land east of the Mississippi River and north of modern-day Florida, which was still controlled by Spain.
There were many more specific provisions listed in the 16-page treaty, from fishing rights in Newfoundland to restoring property rights to Loyalists. In total, the process took around 10 months from drafting to signing. The negotiations were so grueling that John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail just one day after it was signed, “Now I don't Know what to do with my self.”
The short-lived United States Congress of Confederation, the first governing legislative body in a post-Revolutionary War, pre-Constitution United States, went on to ratify the treaty and its provisions in January 1784. At the time, the Congress met in Annapolis, Maryland. For the 190th Ratification Day celebration in 1974, the National Archives loaned the Treaty of Paris to the Maryland State Capitol for a special display.
For this treaty, the United States and British representatives signed at least three originals, two of which are in the holdings of the National Archives. On one of the signed originals, the signatures and wax seals are arranged horizontally; on the other, they are arranged vertically. In addition, handwritten certified copies were made for the use of Congress. Some online transcriptions of the treaty omit Delaware from the list of former colonies, but the original text does list Delaware.
If you're an educator or work with teachers, be sure to explore DocsTeach (where you can learn more about the Treaty of Paris), the interactive online teaching platform from the National Archives. Newly revamped this week with a fresh, mobile-friendly design and enhanced features, DocsTeach offers hundreds of classroom-ready activities alongside thousands of primary sources—letters, photographs, posters, maps, videos, and more like the ones in this article—straight from the holdings of the National Archives.
Educators can easily browse ready-made activities, modify them for their own classrooms, or craft new ones using user-friendly tools that teach historical thinking like comparing evidence and interpreting data. Best of all, this tool is completely free, and activities are open-licensed so teachers and students can create, adapt, and share educational content widely. Learn more and discover all the tools at your disposal at docsteach.org.
