<P> Preliminary peace articles were signed in Paris on 30 November 1782, while preliminaries between Britain, Spain, France, and the Netherlands continued until September 1783 . The United States Congress of the Confederation ratified the Treaty of Paris on January 14, 1784 . Copies were sent back to Europe for ratification by the other parties involved, the first reaching France in March 1784 . British ratification occurred on April 9, 1784, and the ratified versions were exchanged in Paris on May 12, 1784 . The war formally concluded on September 3, 1783 . </P> <P> The last British troops departed New York City on November 25, 1783, marking the end of British rule in the new United States . </P> <P> The total loss of life throughout the conflict is largely unknown . As was typical in wars of the era, diseases such as smallpox claimed more lives than battle . Between 1775 and 1782, a smallpox epidemic broke out throughout North America, killing 40 people in Boston alone . Historian Joseph Ellis suggests that Washington's decision to have his troops inoculated against the disease was one of his most important decisions . </P> <P> Between 25,000 and 70,000 American Patriots died during active military service . Of these, approximately 6,800 were killed in battle, while at least 17,000 died from disease . The majority of the latter died while prisoners of war of the British, mostly in the prison ships in New York Harbor . If the upper limit of 70,000 is accepted as the total net loss for the Patriots, it would make the conflict proportionally deadlier than the American Civil War . Uncertainty arises due to the difficulties in accurately calculating the number of those who succumbed to disease, as it is estimated at least 10,000 died in 1776 alone . The number of Patriots seriously wounded or disabled by the war has been estimated from 8,500 to 25,000 . </P>

When did america win the war of independence