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Treaty of Paris (1763)

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The Treaty of Paris of 1763 (along with the companion Treaty of Hubertusburg) ended the Seven Years’ War, the American counterpart of which was the French and Indian War.

In a nutshell, Britain emerged as the world’s leading colonial empire. Her possessions stretched from India to Africa to the West Indies to North America. The British shocked knowledgeable people of the day by choosing to take the barren wasteland of Canada from France, rather than the prosperous West Indian sugar islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique.

Britain made many gains, but they could have received more. George III, new to the throne, was fearful of the power amassed by Secretary of State William Pitt. The king replaced him and pushed peace negotiations, preferring to give back recently taken territories in order to conclude the conflict.

The following partial summary gives an indication of the worldwide scope of the changes brought by these treaties:

FRANCE
North America	Ceded Canada and all North American claims east of the Mississippi River to Britain, but not New Orleans
North America	Ceded west Louisiana (most of the present-day central United States) and New Orleans to Spain
North America	Retained islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon (valuable fishing sites off Newfoundland)
West Indies	Received back from Britain the islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique
West Indies	Ceded Grenada and Grenadines to Britain
India	Retained most posts, but lost influence to Britain, particularly in Bengal
Africa	Ceded Senegal to Britain
Mediterranean	Ceded interest in Minorca to Britain
Europe	Agreed to withdraw armies from the German states
SPAIN
North America	Ceded Florida to Britain
North America	Received west Louisiana and New Orleans from France
West Indies	Received Cuba and the Philippines from Britain
Mediterranean	Ceded interest in Minorca to Britain
BRITAIN
North America	Received Canada from France
North America	Received Florida from Spain
West Indies	Ceded recently taken Guadeloupe and Martinique back to France
West Indies	Ceded recently taken Cuba and the Philippines to Spain
West Indies	Received Grenada and the Grenadines from France
India	Received extensive rights from France
Africa	Received Senegal from France
Mediterranean	Received Minorca from France and Spain

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See French and Indian War Timeline.

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