Treaty of Paris

History of Paris

Painting by Benjamin West
(from left to right) John Jay, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Henry Laurens, and William Temple Franklin. The British commissioners refused to pose, so the painting was never finished. The document was signed on February 10, 1763.

The Treaty of Paris is a document which was signed on February 10, 1763

The document was signed in Paris (at Versailles) by Americans – ok, stay with me a bit longer and I’ll bring in the French connection – and was very instrumental in the Peace Treaty being signed by the French.

The signing of the Treaty brought to a close the American Revolutionary War between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United States of America, which had rebelled against the rule of the British which started in 1775.

The other warring nations — France, Spain and the Dutch Republic — each had separate agreements, which formed the Peace of Paris 1783.

Three of the 24 significant points in the French document are as follows [from Wikipedia]:

Declaration of peace, and forgetfulness of past problems
Confirmation of old treaties between the two nations
Exchange of prisoners and hostages to take place within 6 weeks of ratification; also ships (naval and merchant) captured after hostilities at sea officially cease are to be returned.

The history of Paris is rich and involved, like all countries with such an incredibly long life. You might also be interested in the History of Paris through the centuries, which I’ve included in this site.