Barbary Pirates Revolutionary War

During the 16th, 17th and early 18th centuries, piracy was rampant in the Atlantic, specifically in the West Indies. Piracy has existed since the earliest days of ocean travel, for a range of personal and economic reasons. However, one of the major reasons why piracy was wide spread and rampant in the 16th, 17th and early 18th centuries was Great Britain’s endorsement and usage of piracy as an asset; in wars fought in the New World. Great Britain with its expanding power and conflicts with other nations would make piracy a lifestyle and lay down the foundation for the Golden Age of Piracy and eventually bring what it created to a screeching halt.

After the end of the revolutionary war america and britain came together with a treaty to end the war called the treaty of paris. With the signing of the treaty america gained its freedom and right to govern itself but also something else. America also gained its independence when the treaty was signed.

On September 3, 1783 the Treaty of Paris was signed, ending the revolutionary war between the United States and Great Britain. After the Treaty of Paris was signed, the U.S broke away from what appeared to be a corrupt government in England and the American leaders formed the concepts of their ideal society. The end of the American Revolution instigated much change within the newly independent nation, particularly political and diplomatic. From the years 1783 to 1801 the U.S faced many political and diplomatic issues including a weak national government, the national debt, international relations,

Shortly following the Revolutionary War, America built one of the strongest merchant fleets the world had ever seen. Overseas trade flourished America’s economy, with its peak specifically in 1807 with exports ranging around $100 million (Hickey). Throughout this period of growth for America, Great Britain’s Royal Navy was without a doubt the master of the high seas. Not helping the future war, Thomas Jefferson was elected into office in 1801 and one of his most notable actions was to shrink the Navy and Military significantly. The homelands defense now laid in the hands of a small fleet of mainly gunboats. They did have a few capital ships, however their primary tasks were to remain as the “floating fortress” of vital eastern seaboard ports. Only quite rarely did they ever see open water conflict.

Throughout the wars between Revolutionary and Napoleonic France and Great Britain (1793–1801 and 1803–15), the belligerent powers of Europe repeatedly violated the maritime rights of neutral nations. The United States, endeavoring to market its own produce

After the American Revolutionary War was declared in 1775, the newly founded United States did not declare war again until the War of 1812. Britain did not respect the neutrality policy of the U.S. during the Napoleonic Wars in Europe. The British started to impress U.S. sailors into the British navy, leading to the declaration of war against Britain. The Treaty of Ghent was signed to conclude the war and to restore prewar boundaries. However, this fairly small war had immense consequences. Some consequences had an influence on foreign relations, American fishing rights, the development of the Rush-Bagot agreement, as well as the evolvement of the Monroe Doctrine. In addition, all of these outcomes allowed for an increase in domestic manufacturing and trade. The morale of the country was also boosted as a result of the war, affecting both foreign relations and American industry, because the citizens of the United States developed new ideas about trading with other countries and advancing in the manufacture of products within the country.

The United States in 1812 claimed to be a neutral nation that would trade between France and Great Britain. Although this seemed to be a good idea at first, tensions grew rapidly because the French and British had bad relations, and the British weren't happy that we were trading with the French. The British in 1812 began seizing ships from the United States in which they stole goods the United States was trading with their opposing enemy, the French, as well as seizing American sailors. The sailors that were captured by the British were forced into doing labor for their navy and if they refused to follow their strict stipulations they would be thrown overboard. Due to the impressment of

Throughout history, the United States has encountered conflicts with numerous foreign nations in order to retain their autonomy. For instance, during the American Revolution, the American colonists revolted against British rule in England and acquired their independence, after being profoundly taxed and having to conform to a myriad of unfair laws because Britain’s war debt from the French and Indian War. Likewise, during the War of 1812, the United States was required to enter a war with Great Britain once again, as a result of French and British conflicts. Although, the United States initially preferred in maintaining their position of neutrality, the strong and antagonistic British caused numerous tribulations for America, as the U.S. army

With the Impressment, the USS Chesapeake incident, and the Embargo Act, these events were causes that kept leading up to the war of 1812. There were many events and situations after the Revolutionary War involving the British, so many Americans came to conclude that going into another war against Britain might not be a terrible idea. With the Impressment, the British were capturing men and forcing them into naval service. The USS Chesapeake incident was because of the British ship Leopard stopping the Is Navy ship and trying to take all there sailors and the British started open firing when the captain wouldn't let them. During the continuance of the Embargo Act, all ships and vessels in the ports and harbors of the United States confined to the navigation of bays, sounds, rivers, and lakes. According to all of these documents it states that the British were involved negatively in all of them against the Americans.

Before the War of 1812 began, Britain was already fighting Napoleon in Europe. The United States was neutral at the time, and traded with both England, and France. In efforts to break down France’s supply system, Britain started to seize American trade ships headed to the ports of France. In doing so, while they were hurting France, they were also hurting American commerce and economy. In addition, Britain was doing this at the cost of US sailors on the trade ships.

America identifies itself When the newly nation, United States, gained independence its primary mission was to start built its reputation and it all began with Hamilton’s program. Hamilton had great and beneficial ideas for a strong government, but the people saw them through another perspectives and turned the coin the other way. Through their mind, Hamilton was trying to destroy the republic, which made the Opposition to arouse. For example, the Bank of America was seen as threat to further corruption as it was currently in England. Later on 1793, when a break out between France and England happened, it affected the relationship between France and United States as Washington declared themselves neutral towards the war.

Algeria, Morocco, Libya, Tunisia; The current day names for the land of which the Barbary Pirates had once inhabited. These Barbary States would extort the world of their men and their cargo through plundering of naval ships. In the same time period there was a newly discovered land, which was striving to mature into an independent country. This land was known as America, and they were rigorously tearing apart from their homeland, England. “Once the United States declared independence, British diplomats were quick to inform the Barbary States that U.S. ships were open to attack. In 1785”(PA). The United States did not enjoy paying off the pirates, so they took it to their own hands to stop this problem once and for all. The defeat of the Barbary States, by Americans helped the naval security, a huge amount in the future of the “Land of the Free”, and allowed for lots of fighting experience.

The United States fought two different wars against the barbary coast on two separate occasions one that lasted from 1801-1805 and the other one that lasted from 1815-1816. European governments pay tributes so the barbary states would attack then for some time the US also did this but stop and sent ships to protect merchant ships. One ship called the Philadelphia was captured and the crew aboard was imprisoned

It was previously mentioned, by Adams, how America should not wage war against the Barbary states, unless, America had plans of fighting them forever. While Adam’s words were not heeded, they rang true. From the ten years after the first Barbary War, to hundreds of years after the Barbary Wars, there is still piracy. Modern Day Piracy is commanded by Somali fisherman who attack cargo ships that travel along Somalia and the Gulf of Aden. The Somalian Fisherman first struck in the year of 1990, while their numbers have declined after 2012, there are still Somali Pirates. Some of the countries that have been attacked by the modern day pirates include Hong Kong, India, Liberia, Kenya, Taiwan, Denmark, North Korea, The United States, and numerous

The enslaved captives were usually treated according to the amount of ransom each would bring. The captain and distinguished passengers were well fed and housed. The naval power of the Barbary of the Pirates states was enough to terrorize lightly armed or unarmed merchant ships, but it was insignificant compared to that of any major European navy. The wealthy maritime powers such as Great Britain found it expedient to pay of protection for British commerce in order to keep the Pirates in existence as a threat to smaller commercial rivals such as Sweden, the Netherland, Naples and after 1783 the United