Barbary States, 1801
A depiction of the Barbary War. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
The four Muslim countries that made up the Barbary Coast (now Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya) entered into a state of war with America shortly after Thomas Jefferson’s election. The conflict came after Jefferson passed legislation which afforded the U.S. six frigates meant to protect the country in the event of war with Barbary states. The heads of Tripoli (part of Libya) demanded $250,000 from the Jefferson administration, and when the administration refused, Tripoli declared war on the United States.
The war was not declared via written document, but in the Barbary custom of cutting down the flagstaff before the U.S. Consulate. Before realizing that war had been declared, Jefferson sent a few ships to Tripoli with letters and gifts, hoping to create an atmosphere of peace. In the event war was declared during their voyage, the vessels’ commanders had been authorized to seize the goods and vessels of their opposition — but Jefferson stressed that it would be unconstitutional for them to “go beyond the line of defense” in their actions.
Exhausted by the constant barrage of blockades, raids and the threat of advancement, Tripoli’s leader Yusuf Karamanli signed a peace treaty in 1805, ending hostilities.
