Though this agreement was made reciprocal in its terms and so saved appearances for the honor of the new nation, nevertheless in submitting it to Congress John Jay clearly pointed out that it was reciprocal in name rather than in substance, as there were few or no Americans in France but an increasing number of Frenchmen in the United States.
Such was the status of the new republic in the family of nations when the time approached for the negotiation of a treaty of peace with the mother country.

The war really ended with the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781.

Yet even then the British were unwilling to concede the independence of the revolted colonies.

This refusal of recognition was not merely a matter of pride; a division and a consequent weakening of the empire was involved; to avoid this Great Britain seems to have been willing to make any other concessions that were necessary.

The mother country sought to avoid disruption at all costs.