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In 1775, during George III\'s reign, the British North American colonies revolted - due mainly to their opposition to British economic exploitation and also their unwillingness to pay for a standing army. Anti-monarchist sentiment was strong, as the colonists wanted to participate in the politics affecting them. On 4 July 1776, a Declaration of Independence was signed. Initial confrontations were mixed - the British being successful at Brandywine but suffering badly at Saratoga - but the situation improved for the colonists when France (1778), Spain (1779) and the Netherlands (1780) all utilised the opportunity caused by the confrontation to declare war on Britain as well. By 1782, the British campaign was crumbling. Parliament demanded an end to the war, largely due to its expense.
The Prime Minister, now Lord North, resigned and, on 3 September 1783, treaties were signed at Versailles. Britain retained Canada and the West Indian Islands but the thirteen rebellious states were formally recognised as the United States of America. France retained their West Indian Islands and were given Tobago in addition; Spain recovered Florida after twenty years of British control (but later sold it to the U.S.A.).
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