the barbary wars presentation

7/29/2019 The Barbary Wars Presentation

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The Barbary Wars1801-1805, 1815


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Introduction

The Barbary Wars

were two early 19th

century wars fought

between the UnitedStates and the

Ottoman ruled BarbaryStates of Morocco,

Algiers, Tunis, andTripolitania in North

Africa.


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They were the first

wars formally declaredunder the US

Constitution.


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Why Did We Go To War?

From the 16th century to

the mid-19th centurypiracy conducted by

Muslim corsairs was

common in the

Mediterranean.


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These privateers

demanded regular

tribute for safe

passage through their

waters.


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If the tribute or

ransoms were notpaid, the crew would

be sold into slavery.


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Once the United States

separated from Britain, the

government had to allocate

funds for tribute as wascommon even among

European naval powers.

These payments amounted

to 20% of the federalgovernments annual

revenues.


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Thomas Jefferson, thenSecretary of State

under President

WashingtonsAdministration,

opposed this decisionbut went unheeded

because the country

had no navy to speakof.


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Fifteen years later, thePasha of Tripoli, Yusuf

Qaramanli, demanded$225,000 in tribute as theirneighbour Algiers had donein 1785. The United Stateshad recently waged asuccessful undeclared naval

war against France soJefferson, now Presidentfelt confident in refusingthese demands.


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The Pasha retaliated by declaring war on the US, its

three allies soon following suit.


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The Way

In response to thisthreat the citizens took

up a popular slogan

from the Quasi War,Millions for defense,

but not one penny fortribute! Enlistment in

the navy jumped.


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Major Players

The celebrated Commodore

Edward Preble commanded

the American Navy and

over 500 Arab, Greek, andBerber mercenaries. Ex-

Consul William Eaton and

Lieutenant Presley O

Bannon led the fledglingMarine Corps.


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Officers such as LieutenantStephen Decantur, Jr.; Captain

Andrew Sterett; Captain JohnRodgers; Captain Oliver

Hazard Perry; and despite hismany blunders, CaptainWilliam Bainbridge becamefolk heroes for their daringexploits in the East. Although

local heroes in their own right,most of the Berbercommanders remainanonymous in Western history.


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The War

Fought intermittentlybetween 1801 and 1805,the First Barbary War isremembered, if at all, fortwo legendary actions: theburning of the USSPhiladelphia and the Battleof Derna which isimmortalized in the line tothe shores of Tripoli fromthe Marines Hymn and theMameluke Swords worn bythe US Marine Corps to thisday.


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Aftermath

Decisive US victories in almostevery encounter ensured asuccessful conclusion to the war.Threatened with deposition,Qaramanli quickly surrenderedand signed a Treaty of Peace andAmity on June 4 of 1805. Althoughhostilities would again flare up adecade later in the SecondBarbary War (also known as theAlgerine War), this conflict endedthe practice of Christianenslavementat least ofAmericansand began the end oftribute to foreign powers.


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Unfortunately, the triumph caused Americans to

become overconfident, leading to the War of 1812.


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As for the Barbary

States, their defeat

signaled their

deterioration to the rest

of the world which lead

France to colonize

Algiers in 1830 andTunis in 1869.

the barbary wars presentation

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