Jay's Treaty

Jay's Treaty, signed 19 November 1794 in London by the US and Britain and named for John Jay, US chief justice and a signatory. This primarily commercial agreement was intended to settle disputes which threatened war, such as British retention of frontier posts in American territory after the Treaty of PARIS (1783), American-Indian disputes over the Ohio Valley, and American anger over British seizure of shipping.

The treaty stipulated that Britain would evacuate western posts by 1 June 1796, and that merchants of both countries would have free access to lands on either side of the border; that the Mississippi River would be open to both countries; that a commission to settle debts to Britain since the start of the American Revolution would be established; and that American shipping would not be hindered in trade with British possessions. The treaty marks the revival of arbitration in international relations, since commissioners were appointed to settle outstanding boundary problems caused by the peace of 1783.

See also JOINT COMMISSION.

Author STUART R.J. SUTHERLAND

Links to Other Sites
Historica-Dominion Institute
The website for the Historica-Dominion Institute, parent organization of The Canadian Encyclopedia and the Encyclopedia of Music in Canada. Check out their extensive online feature about the War of 1812, the "Heritage Minutes" video collection, and many other interactive resources concerning Canadian history, culture, and heritage.

International Boundary Commission
The official website for the International Boundary Commission.

History of the War of 1812
Read the full text of a digitized copy of a 1905 book that chronicles key events in the War of 1812 from a Canadian perspective. Also describes issues and events leading up to the conflict. See pages 14 and 15 for a table of contents. Includes numerous maps and illustrations. From archive.org.