Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the United States and the Regency of Algiers

Quick Facts: Who was Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the United States and the Regency of Algiers?

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Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the United States and the Regency of Algiers

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Treaty establishing peace and friendship between the US and the Regency of Algiers.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

A Treaty of Peace and Friendship was signed between the United States and the Regency of Algiers on 5 September 1795. Following the independence of the United States (1776), American merchant ships no longer benefitted from the protection of Royal Navy ships, which was a problem for them in the Mediterranean.

Career & Major Achievements

American ships were then found in 1785 attacked by the privateers of what the West then called Barbarism, corresponding to the Ottoman provinces of the Maghreb (modern Tunisia, Libya and Algeria). The United States Senate decided to propose a "Treaty of Peace and Friendship With the States of Barbaria", an amendment to which was initiated on 5 September 1795 in Algiers and again on 3 January 1797.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The treaty was unanimously ratified by the United States Senate in early June and signed by John Adams, the second American president, and appeared in what was the then US Official Gazette, the Philadelphia Gazette, on June 17, 1797. The United States federal government was to be annually charged the equivalent of 12,000 Algerian sequins (i.e US dollars 21,600, 64,800 gold francs) to protect its trade from piracy.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1776: 1776 Milestone — Following the independence of the United States (1776), American merchant ships no longer benefitted from the protection of Royal Navy ships, which was a problem for them in the Mediterranean.
2. 1785: 1785 Milestone — American ships were then found in 1785 attacked by the privateers of what the West then called Barbarism, corresponding to the Ottoman provinces of the Maghreb (modern Tunisia, Libya and Algeria).
3. 1795: 1795 Milestone — A Treaty of Peace and Friendship was signed between the United States and the Regency of Algiers on 5 September 1795.
4. 1797: 1797 Milestone — The treaty was unanimously ratified by the United States Senate in early June and signed by John Adams, the second American president, and appeared in what was the then US Official Gazette, the Philadelphia Gazette, on June 17, 1797.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the United States and the Regency of Algiers

True or False: “The primary reason for signing the Treaty of Peace and Friendship in 1795 was the protection of American trade from privateers in the Mediterranean.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): Following US independence, American merchant ships were vulnerable to attacks from privateers operating in the Maghreb, making a formal treaty essential for securing trade.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Ahilyabai Holkar — Historical peer (Died in 1795) (1795): Holkar Queen of Malwa, renowned for governance, culture, and charity in the Maratha Empire.
• Alessandro Cagliostro — Historical peer (Died in 1795) (1795): Italian occultist and self-styled magician, known for European court associations.
• Amedeo Avogadro — Historical peer (Born in 1776) (1776): Pioneering Italian scientist known for Avogadro's law on gas volumes and molecular theory.
• David Hume — Historical peer (Died in 1776) (1776): Scottish philosopher renowned for empiricism, skepticism, and naturalism.
• Adam Sedgwick — Historical peer (Born in 1785) (1785): Pioneering British geologist and Anglican priest, co-founder of modern geology.
• Agustín Gamarra — Historical peer (Born in 1785) (1785): Peruvian soldier and politician who served twice as President of Peru in the 1800s.
• Adolphe Thiers — Historical peer (Born in 1797) (1797): Influential French statesman, historian, and President of the Third Republic.
• Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar — Historical peer (Died in 1797) (1797): Founder of the Qajar Dynasty, who reunified Iran and established Tehran as its capital.

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