Versailles, Peace Treaty of 1783

signed in Versailles on Sept. 3, 1783, between Great Britain on the one hand and the USA and its allies, France, Spain, and the Netherlands on the other. The treaty concluded the War of Independence in North America of 1775-83, which had been victorious for the USA. The Versailles Peace Treaty consolidated the preliminary peace treaties concluded by Great Britain with the USA and its allies in 1782-83.

According to the preliminary peace treaty between Great Britain and the USA of Nov. 30, 1782, Great Britain recognized the USA as a sovereign and independent state whose frontiers were determined by special articles of the treaty, and it renounced all claims to them in the future. Great Britain pledged to withdraw its troops, garrisons, and ships from all places and ports of the USA. The treaty provided for free navigation of the citizens of both countries on the Mississippi.

The preliminary peace treaty of Great Britain with France and Spain of Jan. 20, 1783, provided that Great Britain cede to France Tobago Island in the West Indies and return Senegal in Africa. Spain recovered the island of Menorca in the Mediterranean; in India, France and Great Britain returned to each other all territories seized during the war.

According to the preliminary peace treaty with the Netherlands of Sept. 2, 1783, Great Britain received Negapatam, a Dutch trading port in India.