Treaty of Ghent

The Treaty of Ghent, signed on December 24, 1814, in Ghent, Belgium, ended the War of 1812 between the United States and United Kingdom.

Fighting continued for several weeks after signing the treaty, including the Battle of New Orleans, because news of the treaty took time to reach North America. However, by terms of the treaty, the war was not officially over until ratifications were exchanged and the treaty proclaimed. The U.S. Senate unanimously advised ratification on February 16, 1815. President James Madison ratified the treaty on February 17 at which time the ratifications were exchanged. The treaty was proclaimed on February 18.

Signatories for the UK included Henry Goulburn. The Peace Commission representing the United States included Albert Gallatin, Henry Clay, John Quincy Adams, and John Holmes.

The treaty did not resolve the main issue that engendered the war, the impressment of sailors. However, as the Napoleonic Wars ended, that practice too began to fade.

See also

• List of treaties
• Timeline of United States diplomatic history
• Treaty's text in Wikisource

External link

• Text of treaty from the Avalon Project (http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/diplomacy/britian/ghent.htm)

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