Webster–Ashburton Treaty signed (1842)

The Webster–Ashburton Treaty, signed in Washington, D.C., on August 9, 1842, resolved border disputes between the United States and British North American colonies. Negotiated by U.S. Secretary of State Daniel Webster and British diplomat Alexander Baring, 1st Baron Ashburton, the treaty established the boundary east of the Rocky Mountains, settling conflicts stemming from the Aroostook War.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. The treaty addressed tensions arising from the Aroostook War of 1838–1839, a border conflict between Maine and Canada. Prior to the negotiations, the United States had nearly gone to war with Britain over the Caroline affair. The agreement was reached under the administration of President John Tyler, who succeeded William Henry Harrison.

Negotiations. Negotiations took place largely at Ashburton House in Washington, D.C., facing Lafayette Square. Daniel Webster, who had befriended Alexander Baring during a trip to Europe, served as the U.S. Secretary of State. The process involved defining the border and addressing issues such as the slave trade on the high seas.

Terms. The treaty reaffirmed and further defined the border, modifying previous definitions. The United States ceded 5,000 square miles of disputed territory to British colonies along the northern Maine border but retained 7,000 square miles of wilderness. The agreement also included provisions regarding the slave trade.

People involved

Sources

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