Public frost and practical Anglo-American relations

How long did relations between Britain and the United States take to improve after the American Revolution?

The public surface stayed frosty for years, but the practical relationship improved earlier and was already substantial by the American Civil War.

The visible political relationship and the practical one developed at different speeds. Public relations remained frosty for many years after the American Revolution, preserving an impression of continuing hostility. Behind that surface, the two states developed a more workable relationship much sooner. Even the American Civil War combined loud arguments about possible British support for the Confederacy with substantial day-to-day cooperation with the Union, illustrating why diplomatic rhetoric and operating relationships should be judged separately.