the barbary wars

7/29/2019 The Barbary Wars

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The Barbary Wars1801-1805, 1815


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Introduction

The Barbary Warswere two early 19thcentury wars

fought between theUnited States andthe Ottoman ruledBarbary States ofMorocco, Algiers,

Tunis, andTripolitania inNorth Africa.


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They were the first

wars formallydeclared under theUS Constitution.


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Why Did We Go To War?

From the 16th

century to the mid-19th century piracyconducted byMuslim corsairs was

common in theMediterranean.


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These privateers

demanded regulartribute for safepassage throughtheir waters.


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If the tribute orransoms were notpaid, the crewwould be sold intoslavery.


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Once the United Statesseparated from Britain,the government had toallocate funds fortribute as was commoneven among Europeannaval powers. Thesepayments amounted to

20% of the federalgovernments annualrevenues.


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Thomas Jefferson,then Secretary ofState under

PresidentWashingtonsAdministration,opposed thisdecision but wentunheeded becausethe country had nonavy to speak of.


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Fifteen years later, thePasha of Tripoli, YusufQaramanli, demanded$225,000 in tribute as

their neighbour Algiershad done in 1785. TheUnited States hadrecently waged asuccessful undeclarednaval war againstFrance so Jefferson,now President feltconfident in refusingthese demands.


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The Pasha retaliated by declaring war on theUS, its three allies soon following suit.


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The Way

In response to thisthreat the citizenstook up a popularslogan from theQuasi War,Millions fordefense, but notone penny for

tribute! Enlistmentin the navy

jumped.


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Major Players

The celebratedCommodore EdwardPreble commanded theAmerican Navy andover 500 Arab, Greek,and Berbermercenaries. Ex-ConsulWilliam Eaton and

Lieutenant PresleyOBannon led thefledgling Marine Corps.


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Officers such asLieutenant StephenDecantur, Jr.; CaptainAndrew Sterett; CaptainJohn Rodgers; Captain

Oliver Hazard Perry; anddespite his manyblunders, Captain WilliamBainbridge became folkheroes for their daringexploits in the East.

Although local heroes intheir own right, most ofthe Berber commandersremain anonymous inWestern history.


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The War

Fought intermittentlybetween 1801 and1805, the First BarbaryWar is remembered, ifat all, for two legendaryactions: the burning ofthe USS Philadelphiaand the Battle of Dernawhich is immortalizedin the line to theshores of Tripoli fromthe Marines Hymn andthe Mameluke Swordsworn by the US MarineCorps to this day.


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Aftermath

Decisive US victories inalmost every encounterensured a successfulconclusion to the war.Threatened with deposition,Qaramanli quicklysurrendered and signed aTreaty of Peace and Amityon June 4 of 1805. Althoughhostilities would again flareup a decade later in theSecond Barbary War (alsoknown as the Algerine War),

this conflict ended thepractice of Christianenslavementat least ofAmericansand began theend of tribute to foreignpowers.


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Unfortunately, the triumph causedAmericans to become overconfident, leadingto the War of 1812.


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the barbary wars

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