Key Treaties and Policies in U.S. History and International Relations

Treaty of Paris 1783

This treaty ended the American Revolutionary War, recognizing the independence of the United States and establishing borders for the new nation.

Louisiana Purchase

A land deal in 1803 where the U.S. acquired approximately 828,000 square miles from France, effectively doubling the size of the nation.

Adams-Onis Treaty

An 1819 agreement between the U.S. and Spain that ceded Florida to the U.S. and defined the boundary between the two countries.

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo

Signed in 1848, this treaty ended the Mexican-American War and resulted in the U.S. acquiring territories that would become California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and parts of Colorado and New Mexico.

Treaty of Tordesillas

A 1494 agreement between Spain and Portugal that divided newly discovered lands outside Europe, which influenced later U.S. territorial claims.

Treaty of Paris 1763

This treaty ended the French and Indian War, resulting in France ceding Canada and lands east of the Mississippi River to Britain, shaping future U.S. territory.

Treaty of Ghent

Signed in 1814, this treaty ended the War of 1812 between the U.S. and Britain, restoring pre-war boundaries and status.

Treaty of Kanagawa

An 1854 agreement that opened Japan to U.S. trade, marking the end of Japan's period of isolation and beginning a new era of international relations.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

A 1918 treaty between Russia and the Central Powers that ended Russia's participation in World War I, leading to significant territorial losses for Russia.

Treaty of Versailles

The 1919 treaty that ended World War I, imposing heavy reparations and territorial losses on Germany, which contributed to the rise of World War II.

Washington Naval Conference

A 1921-1922 conference aimed at naval disarmament and preventing an arms race among major powers, leading to several treaties that limited naval construction.

Monroe Doctrine

A U.S. policy established in 1823 that opposed European colonialism in the Americas, asserting that any intervention by external powers in the politics of the Americas is a potentially hostile act against the U.S.

Truman Doctrine

A U.S. policy established in 1947 to provide political, military, and economic assistance to countries threatened by communism, marking the beginning of the Cold War.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, established in 1949 as a military alliance among Western nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.

What was the significance of the Treaty of Paris 1783?

It officially ended the American Revolutionary War and recognized American independence.

What did the Louisiana Purchase achieve for the United States?

It doubled the size of the U.S. by acquiring territory from France in 1803.

What was the outcome of the Adams-Onis Treaty?

It ceded Florida to the U.S. from Spain in 1819.

What was the purpose of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty?

It resolved border disputes between the U.S. and Britain in 1842.

What did the Annexation of Texas lead to?

It resulted in Texas becoming a state in 1845, contributing to tensions that led to the Mexican-American War.

What was the significance of the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo?

It ended the Mexican-American War in 1848 and resulted in the U.S. acquiring territories in the southwest.

What did the Gadsden Purchase accomplish?

It acquired land from Mexico in 1854 for a southern transcontinental railroad.

What was the outcome of the Treaty of Tordesillas?

It divided newly discovered lands between Spain and Portugal in 1494.

What did the Treaty of Ghent achieve?

It ended the War of 1812 between the U.S. and Britain in 1814.

What was the significance of the Monroe Doctrine?

It declared opposition to European colonialism in the Americas, asserting U.S. influence in the Western Hemisphere.

What was the purpose of the Truman Doctrine?

It aimed to contain communism by providing political, military, and economic assistance to countries resisting Soviet influence.

What did the Marshall Plan entail?

It was an American initiative to aid Western Europe economically after World War II to prevent the spread of communism.

What was the significance of the NATO alliance?

It established a military alliance between North American and European countries for collective defense against aggression.