HistoryAtState
@HistoryAtState

Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State | Comments welcome at history@state.gov. RTs ≠ endorsements. Terms of Use: state.gov/tou

 Washington, D.C., USA
history.state.gov
Joined May 2012
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The Office of the Historian @StateDept releases chapters on Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela in Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume XVI, South America. history.state.gov/historical… @WHAAsstSecty @Reagan_Library #FRUS #FRUSRelease #USHistory #ForeignPolicy #Diplomacy
Volume Cover (red background with gold lettering): Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981-1988, Volume XVI, South America | Seal of the U.S. Department of State | Department of State, Washington

ALT Volume Cover (red background with gold lettering): Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981-1988, Volume XVI, South America | Seal of the U.S. Department of State | Department of State, Washington

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What did the U.S. urgently need in 1795? Access to the Mississippi River. Thomas Pinckney delivered — negotiating the Treaty of San Lorenzo with the Spanish Government. On Oct. 27, 1795, the U.S. and Spain signed Pinckney’s Treaty — securing American navigation rights on the Mississippi River, codifying commercial relations, and resolving bitter territorial disputes that had shadowed the young republic. #USHistory #ForeignPolicy #Diplomacy
Treaty of Friendship, Limits, and Navigation Between the United States and Spain, October 27, 1795 | Royal Coat of Arms of Spain | Courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress

ALT Treaty of Friendship, Limits, and Navigation Between the United States and Spain, October 27, 1795 | Royal Coat of Arms of Spain | Courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress
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After peace with Britain had been established and independence secured, the United States began to extend its territory westward, bringing it into conflict with native Indian tribes. Gen. Anthony Wayne — soldier turned diplomat — negotiated the Treaty of Greenville in 1795 to end hostilities and open the land around the Great Lakes region for U.S. settlement. #USHistory #Diplomacy
Treaty of Greenville, August 3, 1975 | Handwritten document page of the Greenville 1795 Treaty | Courtesy of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

ALT Treaty of Greenville, August 3, 1975 | Handwritten document page of the Greenville 1795 Treaty | Courtesy of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
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What do you do when you need your top diplomat fast? In 1794, George Washington tapped Supreme Court Chief Justice John Jay as special envoy to Britain to negotiate an agreement for U.S. maritime rights and trade. Jay’s Treaty signified a new era of U.S. diplomacy, where Britain’s relations with its former colonies would reflect their new status as a sovereign nation. #DiplomaticHistory #USHistory #ForeignPolicy
The Jay Treaty, November 19, 1794 | Handwritten document page: Treaty of Amity, The Commerce and Navigation, between His Britannick Majesty and the United States of America, by their President with the advice and consent of their Senate, 1794 | Seal visible on page | Courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress

ALT The Jay Treaty, November 19, 1794 | Handwritten document page: Treaty of Amity, The Commerce and Navigation, between His Britannick Majesty and the United States of America, by their President with the advice and consent of their Senate, 1794 | Seal visible on page | Courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress
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On April 22, 1793, President George Washington issued the Proclamation of Neutrality — refusing to take sides as Britain and France went to war. One of the most consequential — and controversial — decisions of the founding era. #USHistory #ForeignPolicy #Diplomacy
Proclamation of Neutrality, April 22, 1793 | Handwritten manuscript page (page 245): "The first Session of the Third Congress, 1793. December the 3d." Signed by G. Washington, United States, Decemb. 3d 1793. Includes A Proclamation regarding neutrality between warring European powers and France. | Courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress

ALT Proclamation of Neutrality, April 22, 1793 | Handwritten manuscript page (page 245): "The first Session of the Third Congress, 1793. December the 3d." Signed by G. Washington, United States, Decemb. 3d 1793. Includes A Proclamation regarding neutrality between warring European powers and France. | Courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress

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In 1788: Before he was Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson helped shape U.S. consular work — negotiating a convention with France that defined consul roles still familiar 235+ years later. #USHistory #ForeignPolicy #Diplomacy
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Morocco was one of the first nations to recognize U.S. independence. In 1786, diplomat Thomas Barclay negotiated a Treaty of Peace & Friendship — cementing one of America’s oldest and most enduring diplomatic relationships. #USHistory #Diplomacy
Treaty with Morocco, June 28 & July 15, 1786 | Handwritten document (c1786, July 15): "In the name of Almighty God." — Treaty of peace & friendship between the United States and Morocco, Articles 1–3 visible, signed at the Court of Morocco, 25th day of Shaban, year 1200 | Library of Congress stamp visible | Page 3849 | Courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress

ALT Treaty with Morocco, June 28 & July 15, 1786 | Handwritten document (c1786, July 15): "In the name of Almighty God." — Treaty of peace & friendship between the United States and Morocco, Articles 1–3 visible, signed at the Court of Morocco, 25th day of Shaban, year 1200 | Library of Congress stamp visible | Page 3849 | Courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress

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What ended the Revolutionary War? A treaty signed in Paris in 1783 by three American diplomats — John Adams, Benjamin Franklin & John Jay — and British MP David Hartley. It secured independence from Britain, freedom for POWs & addressed the fate of British loyalists in the new nation.
The Treaty of Paris, September 30, 1783 | Handwritten manuscript page (aged parchment): "Duplicate. Colonial Definitive Treaty 3 Sept. 1783. In the Name of the most Holy & undivided Trinity." | Opening text referencing King George the Third and the United States of America | Courtesy of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

ALT The Treaty of Paris, September 30, 1783 | Handwritten manuscript page (aged parchment): "Duplicate. Colonial Definitive Treaty 3 Sept. 1783. In the Name of the most Holy & undivided Trinity." | Opening text referencing King George the Third and the United States of America | Courtesy of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
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On September 17, 1778, the United States signed the Treaty with the Delawares — also known as the Treaty of Fort Pitt — with the Delaware (Lenape) Nation. The agreement permitted U.S. military operations against the British in Mid-Atlantic regions inhabited by the Lenape, marking a significant moment in early American diplomacy. #USHistory #Diplomacy
Treaty with the Delawares, September 17, 1778 | Handwritten document (aged parchment, brown ink): Delaware Treaty | United States of North America | Courtesy of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

ALT Treaty with the Delawares, September 17, 1778 | Handwritten document (aged parchment, brown ink): Delaware Treaty | United States of North America | Courtesy of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
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Also on February 6, 1778, U.S. diplomats Benjamin Franklin, Silas Deane, and Arthur Lee signed the Treaty of Alliance with France in Paris — uniting both nations in “common cause” against Britain. The agreement governed not only military operations but also the terms of eventual peace negotiations. #USHistory #Diplomacy
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On February 6, 1778, U.S. diplomats Benjamin Franklin, Silas Deane, and Arthur Lee signed the Treaty of Amity and Commerce in Paris with France — formally recognizing the United States as an independent nation and establishing a framework for bilateral trade. #USHistory #Diplomacy
Treaty of Amity and Commerce Between the United States and France, February 6, 1778 | Handwritten manuscript page (aged parchment) dated 6 Feb. 1778, titled "Preambule" in cursive, written in French, beginning "Le Roi T.C. et les 13 etats unis de l’Amerique Septentrionale..." | Franco-American treaty preamble draft | Courtesy of Harvard University

ALT Treaty of Amity and Commerce Between the United States and France, February 6, 1778 | Handwritten manuscript page (aged parchment) dated 6 Feb. 1778, titled "Preambule" in cursive, written in French, beginning "Le Roi T.C. et les 13 etats unis de l’Amerique Septentrionale..." | Franco-American treaty preamble draft | Courtesy of Harvard University
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Did you know? The Declaration of Independence wasn’t just America’s founding document — it was also the new nation’s first statement of foreign policy principles. By declaring independence, the signers asserted the United States’ right to conduct its own diplomacy and international trade. #USHistory #ForeignPolicy #Diplomacy
The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 | Handwritten document on aged parchment: In Congress, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America | Body text with grievances and declarations | Signatures of delegates at bottom | Courtesy of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

ALT The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 | Handwritten document on aged parchment: In Congress, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America | Body text with grievances and declarations | Signatures of delegates at bottom | Courtesy of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
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How did the U.S. work with partners around the world to tackle the issue of conflict diamonds? A combination of carats and sticks. In this report, the State Department lays out its strategy for pushing reluctant governments and diamond industry executives to adopt strategies to combat diamond smuggling. See 00 STATE 211929: ow.ly/4GVN50ZQg7Y #ForeignPolicy #Diplomacy #FOIA
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Turns out diplomats love puns. Check out this cable entitled, “Diamonds in the RUF.” The title may be a play on words but the subject is no laughing matter: it’s an investigation into the role conflict diamonds played in funding the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), the rebel group who fought for control during Sierra Leone’s 11-year civil war. See 00 FREETOWN 422: ow.ly/wXYQ50ZQgaA #ForeignPolicy #Diplomacy #FOIA
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What if diamonds were no longer a girl’s best friend? In this dispatch, Belgian officials and representatives from the diamond industry worry that U.S. efforts to end the trade in conflict diamonds could tarnish the image of all diamonds. See 99 LONDON 10648: ow.ly/oE4250ZQg1H #ForeignPolicy #Diplomacy #FOIA
Image shows multiple sparkling round-cut diamonds of varying sizes arranged on a white surface, with one large diamond prominently in the center foreground. Courtesy Mario Sarto, CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/, via Wikimedia Commons

ALT Image shows multiple sparkling round-cut diamonds of varying sizes arranged on a white surface, with one large diamond prominently in the center foreground. Courtesy Mario Sarto, CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/, via Wikimedia Commons
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The @StateDept has released documents on “conflict diamonds,” from 1999 to 2003, which shed light on U.S. efforts to address this issue in collaboration with African governments, representatives of the diamond industry, and nongovernmental organizations. Visit the FOIA Library to view these records: foia.state.gov/FOIALIBRARY/C… #ForeignPolicy #Diplomacy #FOIA
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The #FRUS chapter on Venezuela documents the Reagan administration’s approach to U.S.-Venezuelan relations, with records covering arms sales and the state visits of Presidents Luis Herrera Campins and Jaime Lusinchi. See Memorandum of Conversation, Washington, December 4, 1984: history.state.gov/historical… @ReaganLibrary #ForeignPolicy
President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan with President Jaime Lusinchi of Venezuela at the White House State Dinner | Courtesy: National Archives and Records Administration, NAID 75853777

ALT President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan with President Jaime Lusinchi of Venezuela at the White House State Dinner | Courtesy: National Archives and Records Administration, NAID 75853777

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The #FRUS chapter on Uruguay documents the Reagan administration’s support for democratization in Uruguay. Topics include bilateral trade negotiations, U.S. advocacy for structural economic reforms, and the reintegration of the Uruguayan military into civilian society. See Memorandum of Conversation, Washington, June 17, 1986: history.state.gov/historical… @Reagan_Library #ForeignPolicy
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The #FRUS chapter on Paraguay documents the evolution of U.S. policy toward the Stroessner government as it resisted democratization in Paraguay, as well as the Reagan administration’s endorsement of a “3-Ds” policy of drugs, democracy, and derechos humanos in Paraguay. See Telegram from the Embassy in Paraguay to the Department of State, October 28, 1988: history.state.gov/historical… @Reagan_Library #ForeignPolicy
Telegram From the Embassy in Paraguay to the Department of State, October 28, 1988. Full text can be viewed at: https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1981-88v16/d413

ALT Telegram From the Embassy in Paraguay to the Department of State, October 28, 1988. Full text can be viewed at: https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1981-88v16/d413
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The #FRUS chapter on Ecuador documents the Reagan administration’s efforts to bolster democracy in Ecuador and increase bilateral cooperation regarding narcotics, terrorism, and economic stabilization. See Memorandum of Conversation, Washington, January 14, 1986: history.state.gov/historical… @Reagan_Library #ForeignPolicy
President Reagan and León Febres Cordero with first ladies Nancy Reagan and María Eugenia Cordovez Pontón in The White House Cross Hall before a State Dinner | Courtesy National Archives and Records Administration, NAID 75854553

ALT President Reagan and León Febres Cordero with first ladies Nancy Reagan and María Eugenia Cordovez Pontón in The White House Cross Hall before a State Dinner | Courtesy National Archives and Records Administration, NAID 75854553
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