U.S. Congress Ratifies Treaty of Paris

Context

The colonies had fought Britain for independence since 1775, and by late 1782 American and British negotiators in Paris had reached preliminary peace terms. These led to the signing of the definitive Treaty of Paris on September 3, 1783, which recognized the United States as a free and sovereign nation while setting boundaries and addressing Loyalist property claims.

Under the Articles of Confederation, any treaty required approval by at least nine of the thirteen states before it could take effect. The Confederation Congress, then meeting in Annapolis, Maryland, faced repeated delays because too few state delegations arrived to form a quorum.

By mid-December 1783 only seven states were represented, prompting concern that the six-month ratification window specified in the treaty might expire before action could be taken.

What Happened

On January 14, 1784, the arrival of additional delegates finally brought nine states into the chamber of the Maryland State House. President Thomas Mifflin of Pennsylvania presided over the twenty-three members present as a committee that included Thomas Jefferson presented the treaty for consideration.

After brief discussion the Confederation Congress voted unanimously to ratify the Treaty of Paris. The formal resolution declared the document ratified by the United States in Congress assembled, satisfying the constitutional requirement and allowing the exchange of ratifications to proceed.

Congress immediately directed that a proclamation be issued to the states announcing the action and authorized President Mifflin to transmit certified copies to the American peace commissioners in Europe.

Aftermath

Mifflin dispatched his private secretary, Colonel Josiah Harmar, to France with one ratified copy and arranged additional messengers to ensure safe delivery to Britain. The proclamation notified the states that hostilities had officially ended.

British ratification followed in April 1784, and the formal exchange of instruments took place in Paris on May 12, completing the legal process that concluded the war.

Legacy

The ratification established the United States as a recognized sovereign power on the international stage and confirmed American title to territory east of the Mississippi River. It also created an early precedent for the treaty-making authority later refined under the Constitution.

Historians view the event as the legal birth of the republic, clearing the path for westward expansion, the calling of the Constitutional Convention, and the development of American foreign policy in the early national period.