Pinckney’s Treaty was signed on this day in 1795 between the ascendant United States and Spain, settling the boundary between their North American territories after a decade of disagreement over who controlled a large block of land. The territory — which covers modern-day Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia — had been claimed by the British until the Americans kicked them off the East Coast with the help of the Spanish. After the Revolutionary War ended, the allies started butting heads over land that each thought they had a right to.
Britain had established the colonies of East and West Florida in 1763 on land claimed from Spain after the Seven Years’ War. It quickly pushed the northern border of West Florida (basically the modern “panhandle” plus parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama) further inland, well past modern Natchez, Miss. But Britain had to return Florida to Spain after the Revolutionary War, creating a question: Would the land handed back over include that new part of West Florida, which Spain had never ruled before? The Spaniards sure thought so, but the U.S. disagreed — as far as they were concerned, Spain had never had that land, and it never would. Here’s a map of the disputed territory for reference.
Starting in 1784, Spain blocked all American trade coming down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, cutting off a critical trade route for lucrative American businesses. But when Britain and the U.S. began rebuilding strong economic ties in 1794, Spain feared the two Anglo countries might team up against it and kick it out of the Americas entirely. So, the two coastal powers decided to come to an agreement.
The 1795 treaty put an end to the dispute. Spain gave up its claim to the territory, and the countries agreed to a friendly trade arrangement, even promising to protect each other’s ships when in their jurisdiction. The formerly West Floridian land was officially organized into the Mississippi Territory.
