At
the onset of the 19th century, a young nation asserted itself against
the pirates of the Barbary States in North Africa.
Since 1784, the United States had paid tribute to the
Barbary States of Algiers, Tunis, Morocco and Tripoli in exchange for
immunity from attack for its merchant vessels passing through the Mediterranean.
However, when the pasha of Tripoli demanded a higher tribute in 1801,
President Thomas Jefferson refused. As a consequence, Tripoli declared
war and began seizing American ships.
In response, the US built up its dwindling navy and
blockaded the port of Tripoli. The ensuing battles featured several U.S.
victories under the command of Edward Preble. Perhaps the most famous
skirmish involved a small group of men under Lieutenant Stephen Decatur
as they destroyed the U.S. frigate Philadelphia, which had been captured
by the pirates, in Tripoli harbor.
The pasha abandoned his demands in 1805 and agreed to
make peace when 500 Marines marched across the desert and captured the
town of Darnah. The U.S. continued to pay tribute to the other Barbary
States until the corsairs of Algiers were defeated in 1816. |
The
Making of an American Hero - Decatur
House Examines an Example of 19th Century Heroism in an Upcoming Exhibit
(Feb. 3, 2004).
Tripolitan
War @ HistoryChannel.com - Find a
series of articles and biographies on the conflict.
Military
Analysis Project - Traces the history of the Barbary pirates from
the Crusades to the Tripolitan War.
Avalon
Project - Read treaties between the United States and the Barbary
Powers that were signed between 1786 and 1836.
My
Country, My Country - Analyzes Stephen Decatur's famous quote "My
country right or wrong."
The
Tripolitan War - About.com's American history guide gives an overview
of the conflict between the US and the Barbary Pirates.
Columbia
Encyclopedia - Locate a brief recap of the major events in the 19th
century battle against the Barbary Powers. |
