Establishing Boundaries
One of the major terms of the Treaty of Paris was the definition of new borders between British North America (Canada at the time) and the now independent United States. To better understand the change in boundaries, take a close look at this picture:
As of 1783, the Treaty decreed the boundary between the 13 colornies and British north America as running from the mouth of the St. Croix River on the Bay of Fundy to its source. This was a line drawn due North to the "northwest angle" of Nova Scotia (today northwestern New Brunswick) There were many other aspects of the new boundaries, numerous lines running from one place to another which I won't cover in this description. It was a complicated system of new borders that led to many disputes over what went where in the future years. For example, the first controversy developed over the St. Croix River. Where was it exactly? Three rivers existed where the map showed only two. The Schoodic River branch was favored, but that river had two branches of itself, and when the eastern branch was chosen, a line drawn North from it nearly cut off the Maritime provinces from Lower Canada.
Economically, the treaty also decreed rights for United States fishermen to set their nets in the Grand banks, off the coast of Newfoundland and in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. The Grand Banks were (and still are) part of the richest fishing grounds in the world. The mixing of the water and shape of the ocean bottom lifts its nutrients to the surface, creating bountiful marine life that was highly profitable in the 17th century and remains to modern day Canada. However, that section of the Treaty is no longer in force today.
On a more complicated scale, the new border between the United States and Quebec caused problems with the Aboriginals. First off, it ignored the promises made to British allies - namely the Iroquois Confederacy and the Mohawks who had fought for Britain during the revolution. The Aboriginals were never even invited to take part in the signing of the treaty. The First Nations communities were appalled by this, leading to Quebec governor Fredrick Haldimand to offer two pieces of land near Lake Ontario to the Iroquois loyal to the British Crown. He obtained an agreement with the original inhabitants of the land and later on, it would eventually lead to the development of the Six Nations Reserve (near what is now Brantford, Ontario).
For the Natives, their feeling of betrayal intensified with Britain's total lack of consideration in the Treaty. Essentially, the Crown had decided to surrender the lands of past British allies to the new America - trading Aboriginal property to and fro with the States as if the First Nations communities had no independent right over their own land or loyalty. Aboriginals were said to "not have been able to believe that their King could pretend to cede to America what was not his own to give."
Some Aboriginals elected to remain with the new American Colonies after the treaty. The Iroquois residents in new America were treated harshly by the States, who forced them off their land and onto reservations because of the past British alliance. On a social level, the failure of the Treaty to recognize Aboriginal rights in any form had an extreme negative impact.
Economically, the treaty also decreed rights for United States fishermen to set their nets in the Grand banks, off the coast of Newfoundland and in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. The Grand Banks were (and still are) part of the richest fishing grounds in the world. The mixing of the water and shape of the ocean bottom lifts its nutrients to the surface, creating bountiful marine life that was highly profitable in the 17th century and remains to modern day Canada. However, that section of the Treaty is no longer in force today.
On a more complicated scale, the new border between the United States and Quebec caused problems with the Aboriginals. First off, it ignored the promises made to British allies - namely the Iroquois Confederacy and the Mohawks who had fought for Britain during the revolution. The Aboriginals were never even invited to take part in the signing of the treaty. The First Nations communities were appalled by this, leading to Quebec governor Fredrick Haldimand to offer two pieces of land near Lake Ontario to the Iroquois loyal to the British Crown. He obtained an agreement with the original inhabitants of the land and later on, it would eventually lead to the development of the Six Nations Reserve (near what is now Brantford, Ontario).
For the Natives, their feeling of betrayal intensified with Britain's total lack of consideration in the Treaty. Essentially, the Crown had decided to surrender the lands of past British allies to the new America - trading Aboriginal property to and fro with the States as if the First Nations communities had no independent right over their own land or loyalty. Aboriginals were said to "not have been able to believe that their King could pretend to cede to America what was not his own to give."
Some Aboriginals elected to remain with the new American Colonies after the treaty. The Iroquois residents in new America were treated harshly by the States, who forced them off their land and onto reservations because of the past British alliance. On a social level, the failure of the Treaty to recognize Aboriginal rights in any form had an extreme negative impact.
The Northwest Indian War
An example of an ultimate effect from this lack of respect in the Treaty of Paris is the Northwest Indian War (1785-1795). It was a battle between the United States and numerous Native tribes for control of the Northwest Territory, land that Great Britain had ceded to the U.S under the Treaty of Paris. This land was occupied by many Native Americans who resented American control of their land. George Washington sent the United States Army to halt the hostilities raging between the Aboriginals and American settlers, enforcing U.S control over the land. This army, consisting of untrained recruits and equally inexperienced militia, suffered major defeats. Washington learned a hard lesson and organized a proper fighting force, ending up victorious over the FIrst Nations. The defeated Aboriginal tribes were forced to give up extensive amounts of territory in the Treaty of Greenville (1795).