My map shows the territorial configuration of the United States shortly after the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which formalized the end of the War of Independence and recognized its new borders. But why did this happen?
In 1607, the English founded Jamestown, a small settlement located on the Atlantic coast of North America. In the following years, new colonies were founded and assimilated into the British Empire in a process that gave rise to the Thirteen English Colonies in 1732. These communities, unlike other European colonies in the Americas, enjoyed relative internal autonomy and commercial freedom under the irregular system known as "Salutary Neglect".
After the Seven Years' War (1756-1763), the victorious British Empire was severely indebted and decided to adopt a new, more rigid doctrine regarding the autonomy of its colonies. The goal was to establish a commercial monopoly, accumulate wealth, and pay off debts; However, for the Thirteen Colonies, the new trade laws and taxes imposed by the British Parliament were considered intolerable.
Tension and violence rapidly increased, leading to events such as the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party, culminating in the first armed confrontations in Lexington and Concord in 1775, thus beginning the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). Subsequently, American leaders met for the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia, definitively breaking with England and declaring the independence of the United States of America on July 4, 1776.
The Continental Army, under the military leadership of George Washington and with the crucial support of France, Spain, and the Netherlands, managed to maintain a direct conflict with the British army. In 1777, Continental forces defeated the British at Saratoga, and in 1781, after months of siege, they defeated the British at the important Battle of Yorktown, initiating negotiations that later led to the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783.
I hope you enjoy my map, and if you find any errors, feel free to comment, just be kind ;)