First Ten Countries to Recognize the New United States of America
It is one thing for a geographic entity to declare independence as a country, but another to be recognized. For the new United States of America, diplomatic recognition came from unusual places.
During the late 18th Century. France, England, Spain and Russia were the tier 1 powers. Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark (which controlled modern Norway), the Holy Roman Empire made up the next tier down. Germany and Italy wouldn’t unite until 1870 and were, at the time of the American Revolution a mishmash of dukedoms, duchies, and principalities, e.g. Kingdom of Prussia, Grand Duchy of Hesse, Kingdom of Sicily, Republic of San Marco, etc.
The first country that recognized the United States as a sovereign entity was the Kingdom of Morocco. Sultan Mohammed III was rebuilding his country and opened his ports to merchant ships flying the Continental flag in December 1777. The actual Treaty of Peace and Friendship wasn’t signed until June 1786 which, if you go by treaty dates, makes Morocco the eighth country to recognize the United States as a country.
Being recognized by a major power is another big step forward. France, via the Treaty of Alliance signed on February 6th, 1778, became the first 18th Century global power to recognize the nascent U.S.
Next was the Republic of Venice in early 1782. Desperate and for trade and a nation in decline, the Venetians welcomed a relationship with the new country. The Venetians were followed by the Dutch who officially recognized the United States of America on April 19th, 1782. Keep in mind, The Netherlands were early supporters of the American Revolution and provide money, arms and ports in the Caribbean to Continental ships. In many ways, the new United States was following the lead of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands which declared their independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1588.
Spain followed France’s lead on February 20th, 1783. Sweden, which at the time, controlled the Baltic, officially recognized the United States of America on April 3rd, 1783 even though the treaty was completed in February of the same year and kept secret until peace negotiations between the U.S. and England had begun.
By signing the Treaty of Paris, September 3rd, 1783, England became the seventh country to recognize the U.S. as “free, sovereign, and independent states, and that the British Crown and all heirs and successors relinquish claims to the Government, property, and territorial rights of the same, and every part thereof, …” King George III’s signature on the treaty also meant that the German principality of Brunswick-Lüneberg also recognized the U.S. because he was also the Duke and ruler of the small country.
Before the end of 1783, the Republic of Ragusa on the Dalmatian Coast (modern Croatia) recognized us as a country. The Papal States, an S-shaped country in the middle of the Italian boot that ran from Rome to Ravenna, signed a treaty with the U.S. on December 14th, 1784.
Prussia recognized the U.S. on September 18th, 1785 followed by the Free Hanseatic State of Hamburg on June 19th, 1780 which was the 10th country to recognize the new country.
All this happened by the time the next major upheaval in the world – the French Revolution – began in May 1789. By the end of the 18th Century, our republic was recognized by 21 countries. Not a bad start at time when the prevailing wisdom is that to be successful as a country, one had to be ruled by royalty.
Image – Signature page of the Moroccan/U.S. treaty courtesy of Wikipedia.
Without a doubt, recognition mattered. However, independence, and recognition did not mean sovereignty. You mention recognition from the First Tier states within the European State System. Britain may have recognised the end of the conflict, the independence of the United States, but it by no means meant that it recognised United States as a sovereign state, and it certainly did not end Britain’s desire to regain the colonies, once having lost them.
The Second and Third Tier states mentioned here held problematic positions within the State System, as well. Venice had a history of independence, but much of Europe beyond the Great Powers were held by relatives of the Great Powers, or were forced into subservience through an alliance system which acted as a double-edged sword. Still further, few of these states were interested in sustaining an idea of republicanism. Two states attempted to bring a republican light to the east, which Jefferson saw emerging. The first was the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and its 3 May constitution. This ended in the tragic partitioning of Poland for more than a century. The second was France, and its republican moment bleed into Napoleon.
Recognition did not mean security. Nor did it mean the endorsement of republicanism by a still monarchical and aristocratic Europe.
One of the things I have come to believe is that the U.K. never accepted U.S. independence until after the War of 1812. It was their unrealistic and punitive trade practices, failure to abide by several treaties to get out of U.S. soil and impressment of seamen that led to a war. By 1810, Madison and other leaders in the government had had enough. What is unfortunate is that a concilitory note from the Foreign Office agreeing to stop the economic pressure and impressment was on its way to Washington when Madison and Congress declared war. Bottom line is that the War of 1812 is really the U.S. second war for independence.
I also think that the Founding Fathers looked at the interlocking relationships among royalty and wanted no part of it. They had witnessed a century of war of which person sat on which throne (e.g. War of Spanish Succession, War of Austrian Succession) and were determined to stay out of that mess.
And last, I wouldn’t give Jefferson that much credit. Besides the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis & Clark expedition, his policies damned near ruined the U.S. economy. Jefferson couldn’t understand the Industrial Revolution and failed to grasp its implications even though it had many of its seeds in the U.S. Add in, Jefferson was a terrible businessman. I could go on and on about what I learned about Jefferson researching an Age of Sail series of novels that take place between 1775 and 1816. I wouldn’t put him in the top 20 U.S. presidents. Yes, he had in put to the Declaration of Independence but so did about 20 odd other people. He was deliberately not invited to the Constitutional Convention.
One last point. Martha Washington sums up what I think about
I agree with your thoughts. There were several attempts at “republican” governments in Europe throughout the 19th Century.Oddly enough, there were more in Central and South America as former Spanish and French Colonies tried to toss off the yoke of colonialism. Only the Brits managed to preserve their empire close to the size and scale it was at the and of the Napoleonic Wars. How they did it was a brilliant piece of statecraft and way beyond the scope of this note.
In reality, the monarchial system really didn’t end until the end of World War I. Victoria, although she was a “constitutional” monarch, managed by her intellect, political savvy and will, kept a fair amount of power on the throne. Most of the countries Europe – Germany, Russia, Sweden, Italy, Romania, Greece, Spain, The Netherlands, etc. – all had monarchies with varying degrees of power entering WWI. France was the odd duck in that it flirted with a republic, then went back to Napoleon III, and back to a republic and has had more constitutions than a bake sale.
Even in England today, there is a ruling class and everyone else are commoners. While not as overt as it was in the pass, having a title, particularly a heridatry one will open doors closed to us commoners. In the other countries with monarchies, it is not as prevalent, but still there.