TREATIES

The Treaty Of Tordedillas - Excited by the gold Columbus had brought back from America, Ferdinand and Isabella, joint monarchs of Spain, sought formal confirmation of their ownership of these new lands. They feared the interference of Portugal, which was the major seafaring nation. At Spain’s urging the Pope drew a “Line of Demarcation” which seemed to be to favorable to Spain, they drew up this treaty, and moved the line farther west.

Treaty of Paris, 1763 The Treaty of 1763 was signed by Great Britain, France, and Spain. Together with the Treaty of Hubertusburg it ended the SEVEN YEARS WAR. France lost Canada to Britain, Cuba and the Philippines were restored to Spain, and India in effect passed to Britain. From this treaty dated the colonial and maritime supremacy of Britain.

The Treaty Of Paris, 1783. When France and Spain were planning to achieve an agreement unfavorable to the United States, the American envoys negotiated a separate treaty with Britain. The final agreement had six terms: 1) The U.S. was recognized as an independent nation by the major European powers, including Britain; 2) Its western boundary was set at the Mississippi River; 3) Its southern boundary was set at 31 degrees north latitude (the northern boundary of Florida); 4) Britain retained Canada but had to surrender Florida to Spain; 5) Private British creditors would be free to collect any debts owed by U.S. citizens; and 6) Congress was to recommend that the states restore confiscated loyalist property.

Jays Treaty with Britain, 1794. John Jay negotiated a treaty with the British which attempted to settle conflicts at sea, as well as to curtail English agitation of their Indian allies on the western borders. Actually it only settled a few of the issues, but was the best possible treaty under the circumstances.Jay's Treaty, concluded in 1794 between the U.S. and Britain to settle difficulties arising mainly out of violations of the Treaty of PARIS of 1783, and to regulate commerce and navigation. The treaty, signed in England by John JAY and Lord GRENVILLE, provided for British evacuation of posts in the Old Northwest, unrestricted navigation of the Mississippi, and equal privileges to American and British vessels in Great Britain and the East Indies. It placed severe restrictions on U.S. trade in the West Indies and did not allow indemnity for Americans whose slaves were carried off by Britain's evacuating armies. Because the treaty failed to protect American seamen against impressment, or to secure recognition of the principles of international maritime law, it aroused indignation in the U.S., and appropriations to put it into effect were delayed until 1796.

The Pinckney Treaty-- 1795- Thomas Pinckney was invited to the Spanish court to strengthen Madrids deteriorating position on the American frontier. Thomas Pinckney, 1750-1828, was governor of South Carolina (1787-89) and as envoy to Spain negotiated the treaty (1795) establishing U.S. commercial relations with Spain. Ratified by the Senate in 1796, the Spanish opened the Mississippi River to American traffic, including the port city of New Orleans. It also opened up the 31st parallel as the northern boundary of Florida.

Treaty of Ghent, 1814- Recognized after the battle of New Orleans, which made Jackson a hero. The treaty reflected the lack of a clear winner in the war. Status Quo Ante Bellum No territory changed hands. Border and trade disputes that had helped spark the war were resolved later in talks.

The Rush-Bagot Treaty signed April 28 limits U.S. and British naval forces on the Great Lakes. U.S. Secretary of State Richard Rush, 37, has negotiated the treaty with British minister to Washington Sir Charles Bagot, 36.

Rush-Bagot Convention, 1817, agreement between the U.S. and Great Britain concerning the Canadian border. It consisted of an exchange of notes by Acting U.S. Secy. of State Richard Rush and Charles Bagot, British minister in Washington, and provided for disarmament of the U.S.-Canadian frontier. The convention set a precedent for the amicable settlement of Anglo-American difficulties and inaugurated a policy of peace between the U.S. and Canada.

The Adams-Onis Treaty-- 1819- Spain had decided to sell the U.S. the remainder of Florida before they could take it anyway. The Spanish surrendered all their claims to the territory and drew the boundary of Mexico all the way to the Pacific. The U.S. agreed in exchange agreed to assume $5 million in debts owed to American merchants.

Webster-Ashburton Treaty-- 1842- Secretary of State Daniel Webster negotiated a treaty with Great Britain. Dealt with problems in a spirit of mutual concession and forbearance. 1) Conflicting claims along the Canada-Maine boundary were compromised; 2) The British expressed regret for the destruction of the “Caroline”; 3) The British promised to avoid “officious interference” in freeing slaves in cases such as that of the “Creole”; 4) Both countries agreed to cooperate in patrolling the African coast to prevent slave smuggling. This compromise was also important in creating good U.S. , Britain relations.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo February 2 ends the Mexican War that began in 1846. Mexico gives up claims to lands north of the Rio Grande and cedes vast territories that include California to the United States in return for $15 million and the assumption by Washington of U.S. claims against Mexico. Mexico loses 35 percent of her territory.

Venezuelan Bounday Dispute 1895, British Guiana Venezuela, Settled by US Boundary commission.

Treaty of Paris-- 1900- Secretary of State William Day led the American negotiating team, which secured Cuban independence, the ceding of the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam to the U.S. and the payment of $20 million to Spain for the Philippines. Ratified Feb. 6A peace protocol is signed with Spain August 12, and the Treaty of Paris formally ends the war December 10. Spain withdraws from Cuba and cedes Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States, which pays $20 million for the Philippines (see 1946).

Hay-Pauncefote Treaty-- 1901- Between the U.S. and Britain to build jointly an isthmian canal. the U.S. was free to unilaterally construct, fortify and maintain a canal that would be open to all ships. Hay-Pauncefote Treaties, negotiated in 1899 and 1901 by U.S. Secy. of State John HAY and Lord Pauncefote of Preston, British ambassador to the U.S. The first treaty was amended (1900) by the U.S. Senate and was rejected by the British. The second treaty, superseding the CLAYTON-BULWER TREATY, gave the U.S. the right to construct and fully control an Isthmian canal in CENTRAL AMERICA. It retained nominally the principle of neutrality under the sole guarantee of the U.S. and provided that the canal be open to ships of all nations on equal terms, but it omitted a clause contained in the first draft forbidding fortifications.

Hay Herran Treaty: Hay-Herrán Treaty, 1903, aborted agreement between the U.S. and Colombia that concerned the prospective PANAMA CANAL. Signed by U.S. Secy. of State John HAY and Colombian foreign minister Tomás Herrán, the treaty stipulated that the New Panama Canal Co. might sell its properties to the U.S.; that Colombia lease to the U.S. a strip of land across the Isthmus of Panama; and that the U.S. pay Colombia $10 million and, after nine years, an annuity of $250,000. The U.S. Senate ratified the treaty, but the Colombia rejected it.

Hay-Bunau Varilla Treaty French engineer-promoter Philippe Jean Bunau-Varilla, 42, has made a deal with New York lawyer William Cromwell of Sullivan and Cromwell, approached Cleveland industrialist Mark Hanna, and persuaded him to favor the route across Panama. Cromwell has made a $60,000 contribution to the Republican party. The Senate consents to the treaty March 17, and the treaty gives $40 million to stockholders in the French canal company, many of whom are now U.S. speculators, while stipulating that Colombia is to give up all rights to sue for any portion of the $40 million and give up all police powers in the contemplated canal zone.

Treaty of Portsmouth, 1905. Ended Russo-Japanese War. T Roosevelt Nobel Peace Prize.

Gentlemen’s Agreement, 1907. Japan agrees informally to stop immigrations to America

Root-Takahira Agreement 1908. Japan & USA agreed to respect each other’s possessions and The Open Door in China.

Arbitration Treaties--1913-1915- Wilson’s Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan continued the policies of Roosevelt and Taft to promote arbitration of disputes in Latin America and elsewhere. Bryan negotiated about 30 such treaties.

Conciliation Treaties-- Secretary Bryan negotiated treaties with 29 nations under which they agreed to submit disputes to international commissions for conciliation, not arbitration. They also included provisions for a cooling-off period, usually one year, before the nations would resort to war. While the treaties probably had no practical effect, they illustrated the idealism of the administration.

Versailles Treaty-- 1919- In drafting the treaty Wilson achieved some of the goals in the Fourteen Points, failed to secure freedom of the seas, free trade, reduction of armaments, or the return of Russia to the society of free nations. 1) The League of Nations was formed, wanted to protect “territorial integrity” and “political independence”;2) Germany was held responsible for causing the war;3) German colonies were made mandates of the League of Nations. Germans were told to sign it “or else”.

Washington Naval Conference, 1922. Freeze of Building by Pacific Powers.

Kellogg Briand Pact Kellogg-Briand Pact, or Pact of Paris, agreement reached in 1928 by 15 nations (and eventually ratified by 62 nations) who agreed to settle all conflicts by peaceful means and who renounced war as an instrument of national policy. U.S. Secy. of State Frank Billings Kellogg and French Foreign Minister Aristide BRIAND were its sponsors. Its effectiveness was vitiated by its failure to provide measures of enforcement. Ultimately, the pact proved to be meaningless, especially as nations adopted the practice of waging undeclared wars.

The Atlantic Charter-- 1941- August 9 Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, the British prime minister, met for the first time on a British battleship off Newfoundland. They issued the Charter which described a postwar world based on self-determination for all nations. It also endorsed the principles of freedom of speech and religion and freedom from want and fear, which Roosevelt had proposed as the Four Freedoms earlier that year.

NATO-- 1949- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Signed by the United States, Great Britain, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Iceland, and Canada. They pledged that an attack against one would be considered an attack against all. Greece and Turkey joined the alliance in 1952 and West Germany in 1954. The Soviets formed the Warsaw Treaty Organization in 1955 to counteract NATO.