When did America officially gain its independence?

While the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 is widely celebrated as the moment when America asserted its desire for independence, official recognition of this independence came later. Following the Revolutionary War, the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783, formally ending the conflict and acknowledging the sovereignty of the United States by Great Britain. This treaty is critical because it legally established the independence that had been declared in 1776.

The other dates, while significant in American history, do not mark the moment of official independence. The year 1787 is important for the drafting of the U.S. Constitution, and 1791 marks the ratification of the Bill of Rights. However, the formal recognition of America's independence as a nation occurred with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783.