On February 27, 1782, the British House of Commons voted to end further offensive war against the American colonies, conceding that the conflict could not be won. The decision triggered the collapse of Lord North’s government and set Britain on the path toward recognizing American independence.
For towns like Alexandria, the vote marked a decisive shift. It signaled that independence was no longer in doubt and that political and commercial life would soon proceed under a new reality—no longer as a British colony, but as part of a sovereign nation.