Moroccan-American Treaty of Friendship
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article is written like a personal reflection or essay and may require cleanup. Please help improve it by rewriting it in an encyclopedic style. (June 2009) |
The Moroccan-American Treaty of Friendship was signed by Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and the Moroccan king Muhammad III in 1786.[1] Muhammad III, or Sidi Muhammad ibn Abdallah, came to power towards the end of the 18th century. Prior to his reign, Morocco had experienced its share of political dissension that made it a struggle to maintain order and peace.
Contents |
[edit] Mohammad III turns things around
When Mohammad III came into power, he transformed the politics and the society. He responded by bringing international trade to the forefront of his agenda and restoring power back into the monarchy. This served to quickly bring Morocco back to being a respectable nation on the international scene.[2] Muhammad III’s primary method of international trade expansion was through peaceful trade agreements with powerful foreign nations.[3] In 1786, just three years after the United States had won its independence from the British, Jefferson and Muhammad III signed the treaty. This peace agreement was able to withstand the Cold War and other global mistrust issues. This treaty is over 222 years old, which is the longest unbroken treaty in United States history.[4]
[edit] Impact of Muhammad III and treaty
The effects of Muhammad III’s rule in Morocco were very great. The Moroccan people enjoyed stability, security, and an increase in personal wellbeing. But the effects of the treaty over the past 222 years have also been very enduring. Both the United States and the Moroccan people have reaped the benefits from the agreement. Increased imports and exports have led to great economic prosperity for Morocco, which also boosts the personal well-being of the people. Cross-cultural relationships have helped to strengthen America’s economic and social institutions.
[edit] First To Recognize American Independence
Due to extensive American ship traffic in and out of Tangiers, the Continental Congress sought diplomatic recognition from Morocco shortly after declaring independence from Great Britain. That recognition was granted in 1777 (even though a formal treaty wasn't signed until 1786) making Morocco the first foreign nation to recognize the United States. That recognition was reaffirmed during the American Civil War and remains the United States' longest unbroken diplomatic relationship.[5]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ US-Morocco: Longstanding Ties (Remarks by President Bush and King Hassan II); U.S. Department of State Dispatch, [1] (24 January 2007).
- ^ B.A. Ogot, General History of Africa, Vol. V: Africa from the 16th to the 18th Century. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1992. pp. 231-232.
- ^ US-Morocco: Longstanding Ties
- ^ Ogot, General History of Africa, pp. 231-232.
- ^ See, Moroccan American Trade and Investment Council, online at http://www.moroccanamericantrade.com/relations.cfm#1
