1795- Jay
Treaty- Promised British subjects would leave Great
Lakes region within a year, did not deal with impressment nor Loyalists
debts. Accepted by Senate.
1819- Adams-Onis
Treaty- Spain ceded
Florida to US for
$5,000,000,US agreed to assume claims against Spain, US gave up claims to
Texas.
1823- Monroe
Doctrine- British Foreign Minister Canning proposed US join England
in stating that European powers not be permitted further American colonization.
Monroe states on December
2 as independent American Policy.
1837- Caroline
Affair- a band of Canadian rebels took refuge on Navy island on Canadian
side Niagara
River, US sympathizers supplied them with aid via steamboat Caroline.
On December 29,
Canadian forces crossed to US and set Caroline ablaze. May 29, 1838 US forces
burned British steamer Sir Robert Peel while in US.
1838- Aroostook
War- disagreement over Northern Boundary of Maine
resulted in troops being called on both sides, Martin
Van Buren arranged truce while a commission was established.
1839- Amistad
case - Spanish ship Amistad left Havana,
Cuba bound for Puerto Principe, Cuba with 54 recently captured Africans,
who broke free and killed the captain. Two passengers whose lives were spared
deceived the Africans and sailed the ship to Long Island, where it was recaptured
by the United
States Navy, delivered to Connecticut,
and libeled by the commander of the navy vessel. Various admiralty claims
were made, including claims by the Spanish crown, alleging that the Africans
were slaves, but the Africans were adjudicated free men by the district
court. The district court's decision was affirmed by the circuit court of
appeals, and further affirmed by the United
States Supreme Court.
1850- Clayton-Bulwer
Treaty- US and Britain agreed both nations were not to colonize or control
any Central American republic, neither nation would seek exclusive control
of Isthmian canal, if canal built protected by both nations for neutrality
and security. Any canal built open to all nations on equal terms.
1853- Gadsden
Purchase- Purchase of 30,000 square miles south of Gila River for $10,000,000
for purpose of Railroad line pass through Rockies.
1854- Kanagawa
Treaty- Millard
Fillmore sent Matthew
Perry to Tokyo, he arrived in 1853
and delivered letter, returned next year with seven warships and treaty
signed opening two Japanese
ports and guaranteeing safety of shipwrecked US seamen.
1898- DeLome
Letter- in private letter to friend, Spanish minister wrote disparagingly
of President William
McKinley, letter stolen from Post Office in Havana and released by Cuban
revolutionists.
1903- Hay-Herran
Treaty- with Colombian
minister, US acquired renewable 99 year lease on 6 mile wide strip across
Panama for 10,000,000
and annual payment. Ratified by US but not by Colombian Senate.
1915- RMS_Lusitania
sunk- off Irish coast by submarine under control of Captain Schweiger sunk
British passenger liner containing troops and munitions as well with 128
of Americans on board killed.
1917- Lansing-Ishii
Agreement- US recognized Japan
had special interests in China,
particularly in contiguous territory, US had objected to Japan assuming
German Asian territories.
1941- Atlantic
Charter- Conferences aboard warships in Placentia Bay off Argentia,
Newfoundland between FDR and Churchill resulted in (1) no territorial gains
sought by US or UK, (2) territorial adjustments must conform to people involved,
(3) people have right to choose own govt. (4) trade barriers lowered, (5)
there must be disarmament, (6) there must be freedom from want and fear
(4 Freedoms of FDR), (7) there must be freedom of the seas, (8) there must
be an association of nations.
1947- General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade- Signed in Geneva
by 23 nations including US, membership has since increased, for purpose
of eliminating trade barriers of all kinds on industrial and agricultural
goods.
1957- Eisenhower
Doctrine- stated US would use armed force upon request of imminent or
actual aggression, applied in Lebanon
that year successfully.
1961- Alliance
for Progress- Agreement extended economic assistance to Latin
American nations in exchange for land and tax reform, more democratic
govt., and greater stability.
1961- Bay
of Pigs- April 17
trained Cuban refugees invaded Cuba
and were defeated because of lack of U.S. air support
1961- Berlin
Crisis- Soviets give East
Germany control over East Berlin, in August the Berlin
Wall is built to stem tidal wave of refugees, In heat of crisis John
Kennedy says "Ich
bin ein Berliner" (apparently translated as "I am a jelly doughnut")
to thousands of screaming West Berliners.
1962- Cuban
Missile Crisis- John
F. Kennedy on October
22 announced that there existed Soviet
missiles in Cuba and demanded
their removal while imposing an air sea blockade. Nikita
Khrushchev sent two letters, one belligerent one conciliatory to Kennedy,
Kennedy ignores belligerent letter and missiles withdrawn on condition that
US won't invade Cuba, Kennedy demanded onsite inspection, this was not allowed.
