Colonies

Whenever these bad boys are mentioned in the treaties, it's referring to the original thirteen: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Delaware, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

Creditor

This is just someone who has loaned someone else money. Banks were a thing back then, but, just as often, it was a private citizen loaning out cash. Imagine your weird neighbor Jerry issuing you a credit card instead of Visa, and you've got the gist.

Loyalist

During the American Revolution, a Loyalist was a resident of the colonies loyal to the British crown. They're portrayed in Hollywood as a bunch of sour-faced Brits with posh accents…but actually a whopping third of the colonies wanted to stay true to Merry Old England. (We're guessing they were in it for the Cadbury Creme Eggs.)

Patriot

During the American Revolution, a Patriot was a resident of the colonies loyal to the revolutionaries. Think Paul Revere. Think Sam Adams. Think Mel Gibson in The Patriot.

Plenipotentiary

This is a Latin word…because of course it is. It sounds like a carnivorous butterfly (or maybe a particularly smelly kind of foot fungus), but it actually means "diplomat."

Basically, if you're using it as a noun, it means a diplomat who has the authority of a government to negotiate. Actual heads of state, like kings or presidents do have lots of diplomatic functions, but they have zero time, so they send representatives.

Preliminary Articles of Peace

In November of 1782, a hastily drawn-up treaty stopped the fighting, and this was its name. It's sort of the rough draft of the eventual Treaty of Paris.

Redcoat

Redcoat is a slang term for British soldiers, because the coats of their uniforms were red. This stopped during the Boer War in South Africa when the British learned it made them super-easy targets. (Ya think?)

Another slang term for redcoats? Lobsterbacks. Seriously.

Sterling

Sterling specifies that you're talking about British currency. So when Article 4 refers to "sterling money," it means in British currency. Printing money didn't have quite as much oversight back then, and the British wanted to make sure they were getting the real thing and not some funny money printed in the colonies.