The Rush-Bagot Agreement
- The Rush-Bagot Agreement (1817) dates back to a time where the United States and Canada were on precarious terms following the war of 1812, which occurred on either side of the Canadian and American border.
- The agreement was made between the United States and Great Britain (prior to Canada's independence from Britain) and was established to limit and regulate naval vessels from both Canada and the US travelling through the Great Lakes.
- This agreement is remembered as one of the world's most effective disarmament agreements and is said to have ended the British-US naval race.
- This agreement also established early and friendly diplomatic relations along the shared Canada-US border.
Citation
Canada. Treaties. Exchange of Notes Between the United Kingdom and the United States Concerning the Naval Forces to Be Maintained on the Great Lakes (Rush-bagot Agreement). [Washington, D.C.], 1817. https://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=101662
Further Readings
For the U.S. Department of State: Office of the Historian Record of the Rush-Bagot Pact of 1817: https://history.state.gov/milestones/1801-1829/rush-bagot
Policy Sub-Topic
Policy Type
Correspondence