Making Peace
Making Peace
The peace between Britain and America was the achievement on the British side of Lord Shelburne. He had opposed the war and hoped that the Americans would return to a close relationship with Britain short of full independence. Initially he was prepared to give them generous terms over their territorial and other claims. He was, however, to discover that the Americans would not compromise on full independence, which he reluctantly conceded, and that any settlement with them would involve highly contentious issues, such as what was to be done for loyalists who had sided with Britain or what were to be the boundaries of the remaining British American colonies. To attain a quick peace, Britain yielded on most points. Concessions were denounced in the press and in parliament leading to Shelburne’s resignation.
Keywords: Peace of 1783, Shelburne, loyalists, British North America, American independence, newspapers
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