Jay Treaty facts for kids
| Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation, Between His Britannic Majesty and The United States of America | |
|---|---|
First page of the Jay Treaty
|
|
| Context | To relieve post-war tension between Britain and the United States |
| Signed | November 19, 1794 |
| Location | London |
| Effective | February 29, 1796 |
| Negotiators | |
| Signatories |
|
The Jay Treaty was a very important agreement made in 1795 between the United States and Great Britain. Its full name was the Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation. This treaty helped avoid another war between the two countries.
It also solved problems that were left over from the Treaty of Paris of 1783. That earlier treaty had officially ended the American Revolutionary War. The Jay Treaty also allowed the United States and Britain to trade peacefully for ten years. This was important because the French Revolutionary Wars had just started in 1792.
Alexander Hamilton helped create the idea for the treaty. President George Washington strongly supported it. However, the treaty made France angry. It also caused a lot of disagreement among Americans. This led to the creation of two main political groups: the Federalists, who supported the treaty, and the Democratic-Republicans, who were against it. John Jay was the person who worked out the details of the treaty. He managed to get many important things for the United States.
Contents
What the Jay Treaty Achieved
Both the United States and Great Britain got many things they wanted from this treaty. Several issues were discussed and most were settled in favor of the U.S.
Money Matters and Debts
- Britain paid $11,650,000 to the U.S. for damages to American ships.
- The U.S. paid £600,000 to Britain for debts that Americans owed from before 1775.
British Forts in the U.S.
The British agreed to leave their forts located in U.S. territory. These forts included six in the Great Lakes region and two at the northern end of Lake Champlain. Britain promised to leave these forts by June 1796, and they did.
Native American Rights and Travel
Article III of the Jay Treaty was very important for Indigenous peoples. It said that Native Americans, American citizens, and Canadian subjects could trade and travel freely between the United States and Canada. At that time, Canada was a territory of Great Britain.
Because of this part of the treaty, Native Americans born in Canada can enter the United States easily. They can come to the U.S. for work, study, retirement, or to live there. Article III of the Jay Treaty is still used today for many Native American claims and rights.
Images for kids
-
John Jay, the main American negotiator.
-
Thomas Jefferson did not like the treaty at all.
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Tratado de Jay para niños
