Hist105 IP4

Treaty of Paris

HIST105-IP4

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Treaty of Paris: 1783 (American Revolution)

The Treaty of Paris of 1783 brought the War between England and America to a close. The treaty was the first important document in America history which finally freed America from British rule and established America as an independent nation. The treaty granted America the lands between the Allegheny Mountains on the east and all land west of the Mississippi. America went from just a few colonies to a large country with 13 independent states. After the Treaty of Paris America rapidly expanded causing the country to double in size. As a result of America independence through the Treaty of Paris territorial expansion began in America.

The territory acquired by America in the Treaty of Paris began with the American Revolution. The American Revolution was a war fought by colonists who had left Europe in order to flee the oppressive rulers of countries, such as England. Citizens reached America and were afforded the ability to practice any religion and the opportunity to own land. In England and other European countries land is owned by the crown and the people are responsible for working the land and paying unrealistic taxes to the monarchy. In America colonists could farm land and has an opportunity to lead a successful life.

When England kept constantly imposing their authority onto colonists forcing them to pay unreasonable taxes the colonist became frustrated and banded together to declare war against England. After a few conflicts sparked anger between the American colonists and the British army war was declared. The American colonists fought long and hard to win their freedom from England and in the end they won the war and created the greatest nation on the globe.

After years of fighting the America colonists, England finally relented when they kept losing major battles to the American who where more familiar with the land and willing to fight forever for their freedom. When England declared their defeat the stipulation of their defeat was outlined in the treat of Paris.

The Treaty of Paris outlined the land that would be received by the colonists creating the largest country on the globe. Before the war and the Treaty of Paris, England owned all of the lands in the east and the west while other parts of America were owned by France, Holland, and Mexico. The new established boundaries creating a country extending to Florida to the South, the Mississippi River to the West, Atlantic Ocean on the East, and from Canada to the Great Lakes in the North (Miguel, 2010). Spain owned the lands now known as Florida but the treaty granted the country access to the land through the Mississippi River. Before the land in the East was won in the war it was divided into 13 colonies with specific boundaries.

The Treaty was one of the first multinational treaties were more than one country must participate in the Treaty to ensure all countries interest in the American colonies were protected. The creation of the Treaty of Paris required the participation of Spain, France, and Holland in order to ensure the territories were split to every countries satisfaction and to end the war in America. Once the freedom of the colonies was won through the war and the treaty the United States was free from England and began immediate rapid expansion in the land obtained by England but also lands owned by other European countries (DOE, 2013).

When America became a country the 13 colonies became states and the country United into one great nation. There were many short-term consequences of the acquisition of America but the most significant was in determining who would get the additional lands obtained when the Treaty was signed. Instead of the 13 colonies receiving more land, the land was offered to citizens wanting a fresh start and out of this new colonies began to emerge. Between the years of 1776 and 1780, the colonies wrote new constitutions to become independent states and the idea of a centralized government began to form.

The Treaty required American fulfill a few obligation to the British and the British Army currently residing in the country. People who fought in the war on the side of England where known as loyalists. The treaty guaranteed the loyalists would not be punished for their support of England in the war and the lands they lost would be returned. The British army in the country was given safe passage put of the country and all current tax debts owed to England were to be paid. In order to pay these debts and form an army that would protect the nation from any further attacks.

The problem was the newly formed states did not support a strong centralized government and when the Articles of confederation failed to create an effective federal government, the need for a strong federal government became apparent. In 1797 America created the Constitution uniting the states and creating a united nation with a strong central government. This constitution included a Bill of Rights that protected the citizen and ensured they would have due process rights in the event of legal troubles. The centralized government was split into three separate branches to ensure no one part of the federal government could ever become oppressive.

While a new government was being created great expansion to the west was occurring and battle against the Natives for the land. When America declared her independence from England with the Declaration of Independence the freedoms declared in this document did not include the slaves in the South or the Native Americans that lived on the land before colonist arrived. For Indians, the formation of the United States only increased the flow of white settlers onto their lands and led to violent clashes (Parks, 2008). This resulted in long term consequences for the country eventually leading to a civil War before the country finally unties in to a fifty state country.

The Treaty of Paris resulted in the creation of the largest and one of the most powerful countries on the globe but not before there was a lot of conflict and strife. Once America began to form states that were added to the Union the country began to experience problems amongst the state. States in the West were fighting Native Americans in order to create town and establish the railroad from one end of the country to another. While people in the West were fighting for the land they had claimed the North and South were embroiled in a battle over slavery and forcing the South to concede to the union (Parks, 2008). This was not a simple feat and did not occur until the northern and southern states fought a long and bloody Civil War.

The Civil War was fought in an effort to free slaves that the South refused to free despite the fact the federal government had abolished slavery. States in the South refused to give up the slaves, which they considered property, and did not want to become members of the United States. The North won the war and the slaves were finally freed. While they did not get equal treatment in society they were also no longer considered property. It would take another hundred years for slaves to become equal citizens in America.

America went through a lot to become one nation and the current United States. The Treaty of Paris resulted in the creation of one of the greatest nations in the world. If America had not won the war England would continue to own the land, similar to Australia, and the citizens would be considered British citizens. Due to the Treaty of Paris, America exists and the people who live in this great country are afforded many freedoms they would not have been afforded if England continued to rule.

. References

Department of State. (2009). Treaty of Paris, 1783. Retrieved March 6, 2014 from

http://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/ho/time/ar/14313.htm

Miguel, E. (2010). Treat of Paris of 1783. Retrieved March 6, 2014 from

http://prezi.com/5kto_ewkveil/treaty-of-paris-1783/

Parks, M. (2008). Stories of American Revolution. Retrieved March 6, 2014 from

http://www.nps.gov/revwar/about_the_revolution/consequences_war.html