1783
American independence recognized
1783 is the year the American Revolutionary War officially ended with the Treaty of Paris, recognizing United States independence from Britain.
References to 1783 typically invoke this founding moment: The borders established in 1783 shaped early American expansion.
The year also saw the first successful hot air balloon flights in France.
Colonial separation from Britain
- Treaty of ParisMajor war-ending diplomatic pact
- independenceFreedom from external control
- Continental ArmyColonial rebel military force
- PatriotsBoston-area NFL franchise
George Washington · British Empire · colonies · founding fathers · Benjamin Franklin · John Adams · John Jay · Thomas Jefferson
Major war-ending diplomatic pact
- peaceFreedom from disturbance
- ceasefireAgreed halt to fighting
- ratificationFormal approval by authority
- diplomacyNegotiation between nations
Versailles · negotiations · sovereignty · recognition · boundaries · territorial · armistice · settlement
Original American governing charter
- constitutionInherent physical or structural makeup
- republicanismGovernment by elected officials
- federalismDivided governmental authority system
- confederationAutonomous entities united loosely
statehood · Congress · nationhood · self-governance · Continental Congress · ratification · states' rights · sovereignty
Era prioritizing reason over dogma
- age of reasonDevelopmental moral discernment milestone
- rationalismReason as knowledge source
- empiricismKnowledge through observation
- VoltaireFrench Enlightenment satirist
Montesquieu · Locke · natural rights · social contract · scientific method · reason · liberty · equality
American Revolution
Colonial separation from Britain
- Treaty of ParisMajor war-ending diplomatic pact
- independenceFreedom from external control
- Continental ArmyColonial rebel military force
George Washington · Patriots · British Empire · colonies · founding fathers · Benjamin Franklin · John Adams · John Jay · Thomas Jefferson · Yorktown
Treaty of Paris
Major war-ending diplomatic pact
- peaceFreedom from disturbance
- ceasefireAgreed halt to fighting
- ratificationFormal approval by authority
diplomacy · Versailles · negotiations · sovereignty · recognition · boundaries · territorial · armistice · settlement · British surrender
Articles of Confederation
Original American governing charter
- constitutionInherent physical or structural makeup
- republicanismGovernment by elected officials
- federalismDivided governmental authority system
confederation · statehood · Congress · nationhood · self-governance · Continental Congress · ratification · states' rights · sovereignty · Annapolis
Enlightenment
Era prioritizing reason over dogma
- age of reasonDevelopmental moral discernment milestone
- rationalismReason as knowledge source
- empiricismKnowledge through observation
Montesquieu · Voltaire · Locke · natural rights · social contract · scientific method · reason · liberty · equality · progress