ID: Jay’s Treaty

When:

November 19, 1794 (ratified by the Senate June 24, 1795)

Negotiated by: John Jay, Chief Justice of the United States (sent by President Washington)
Signed by: The United States and Great Britain

A treaty resolving issues left unresolved since the end of the American Revolution. Key provisions included:

Britain agreed to evacuate forts in the Northwest Territory (which they had continued to occupy illegally).
A commission was established to settle boundary disputes and debts owed to British merchants.
The U.S. received limited trading rights in the British West Indies.

Highly Controversial: The treaty was unpopular with many Americans, particularly Democratic-Republicans, who saw it as a betrayal of France (then at war with Great Britain) and a concession to a tyrannical power.
Strengthened Federalist Party: The Federalists supported the treaty, arguing it maintained peace and trade with Britain. The controversy surrounding the treaty helped solidify the two-party system in the early United States.
Indirectly Led to Other Agreements: The treaty paved the way for Pinckney’s Treaty (1795) with Spain, which secured American access to the Mississippi River and New Orleans. It also temporarily eased tensions with Britain, although issues like impressment would continue to cause problems.
Demonstrated Challenges of Neutrality: Jay’s Treaty highlighted the difficulty for the newly formed United States to remain neutral in European conflicts, a recurring theme in early American history.