Today In history

Chat with Carolyn online at 11 a.m. each Friday at www.washingtonpost.com. 1782: The United States and Britain signed preliminary peace articles in Paris for ending the Revolutionary War; the Treaty of Paris was signed in September 1783.

1803: Spain completed the process of ceding Louisiana to France, which had sold it to the United States.

1874: British statesman Sir Winston Churchill was born at Blenheim Palace.