Correct. The answer is a. Franklin, Adams, and Jay were surprised when they were addressed as “the Commissioners of the Colonies” at a peace talk where, they believed, American independence was essentially a presupposition. Although updated credentials later referred to the men as representing the United States of America, the error reflected the indifference (or even apathy) of European negotiators to American independence.
Incorrect. The answer is a. Franklin, Adams, and Jay were surprised when they were addressed as “the Commissioners of the Colonies” at a peace talk where, they believed, American independence was essentially a presupposition. Although updated credentials later referred to the men as representing the United States of America, the error reflected the indifference (or even apathy) of European negotiators to American independence.