Which treaty granted the US access to the Great Lakes?
History · High School · Wed Jan 13 2021
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The Treaty of Paris, signed in 1783, which ended the American Revolutionary War, largely defined the borders between the newly independent United States and British North America. This treaty granted the United States access to the Great Lakes. While the treaty itself did not explicitly discuss the control of the Great Lakes, it did set the boundaries between the U.S. and British territories in such a way that the U.S. received territory that included the Great Lakes. Later, in 1814, the Treaty of Ghent ended the War of 1812 between the U.S. and Britain and restored the borders to their pre-war status, reaffirming U.S. access to the Great Lakes region. Over time, further agreements and treaties would come to more directly address navigation rights and boundary demarcations related to the Great Lakes.