The United States acquired the British Cession (also known as the Old Northwest) as a result of the Treaty of Paris in 1783. This treaty ended the American Revolutionary War and recognized the independence of the United States. The territory ceded by Great Britain under the treaty covered land between the Appalachians and the Mississippi River, making it a significant acquisition for the new nation. It also included parts of what are now Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.