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Treaty to Settle and Define Boundaries Between the United States and British North America

United States · 1842

The printed 1842 treaty negotiated under John Tyler's administration, settling U.S.-Canada boundaries and addressing the slave trade and extradition.

A major treaty negotiated and proclaimed during John Tyler's presidency, showing his administration's foreign policy.

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Treaty to Settle and Define Boundaries Between the United States and British North AmericaPDF · 16 pages
Treaty to settle and define boundaries between the United States and British North America, 1842.

About this source

What it is

This is the printed text of an 1842 treaty between the United States and Great Britain. It settled boundary disputes between the United States and British territories in North America, addressed the suppression of the African slave trade, and set rules for extraditing criminals. It was concluded, ratified, exchanged, and proclaimed in 1842, during John Tyler's presidency.

Why it matters

This treaty, often known by the names of its negotiators, was a major foreign policy achievement of Tyler's administration. It shows how his government worked to resolve long-standing disputes with Britain over the Maine and Canada borders, while also taking a stance on the slave trade and international law regarding fugitives.

Look closer

  • Why might settling a border dispute and addressing the slave trade be combined in a single treaty?
  • What does this document reveal about the relationship between the United States and Britain in the 1840s?
  • Whose voices or perspectives might be missing from an official treaty document like this one?

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