The Harsh Realities of 1777: America in Crisis
The year 1777 stands as one of the most challenging periods in American history. On the battlefield, British forces had captured several major cities, most notably New York City. Despite the efforts of the Continental Army, led by George Washington, to halt the British advance at Brandywine and Germantown in Pennsylvania, both attempts ended in failure. The cost was steep, with hundreds of Americans losing their lives, many more suffering injuries, and countless soldiers taken prisoner. The situation worsened on September 26, 1777, when British troops seized Philadelphia, the de facto capital of the rebellious America. Faced with dwindling morale and resources, Washington's exhausted army retreated to Valley Forge, situated approximately forty miles north-west of Philadelphia. The conditions were dire; supplies were scarce, the army's coffers were nearly empty, and a significant portion of the soldiers was incapacitated, either due to injuries or inadequate clothing, with many marching barefoot, their feet wrapped in rags. Washington expressed grave concerns in a message to the Continental Congress in December, warning that without changes, the army faced three grim prospects: starvation, collapse, or disbandment.
Morocco's Unexpected Support for America
While the situation on land was desperate, the conditions at sea were even more dire. The British Royal Navy had established dominance over the Atlantic coastline, revealing America's vulnerabilities in its struggle for independence. The once-protective British fleet transformed into a formidable foe, making American vessels easy targets on the open seas. The absence of a naval fleet not only endangered American merchant ships and their crews but also threatened the survival of the fledgling nation, which relied heavily on maritime trade. Moreover, the United States had yet to establish treaties that would grant its ships access to the ports of other nations. Without a navy or international agreements, American trade ground to a halt.
In this critical juncture, the United States desperately needed recognition from an independent nation. Surprisingly, this recognition did not come from Europe but from a kingdom located over three thousand miles away in North Africa—Morocco. Sultan Mohammed III opened Moroccan ports to American ships, becoming the first foreign sovereign to publicly acknowledge the United States. However, this generous gesture went largely unnoticed by America's Founding Fathers for years, as their focus remained predominantly on Europe, overlooking the first nation that extended its hand in friendship.
Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah al-Khatib, a member of the Alaouite dynasty, was known as 'Commander of the Faithful.' He was both a soldier and a scholar, born in Fez, where he studied Islamic jurisprudence and religious sciences. By 1777, at the age of 67, he had been on the Moroccan throne for two decades, during which he transformed the nation from chaos and instability into a more prosperous and stable state. Unlike his predecessors, Mohammed III directed his attention outward, seeking to enhance trade relations with Europe. He developed the city of Essaouira into a thriving Atlantic port, established treaties with Denmark, Sweden, Venice, and Britain, and welcomed Christian traders into Moroccan ports, relying on Jewish merchants to manage part of Morocco's international trade. For him, trade was the source of power, with every ship entering his ports adding customs revenue to the national treasury.
Meanwhile, the American Revolution raged on. For many European rulers, American revolutionaries were seen merely as rebels with an uncertain future. France had not yet allied with them, and Spain preferred to remain neutral, fearing the encouragement of revolts within its empire. However, Sultan Mohammed III recognized what many European governments failed to see at the time: America was not a group of rebels but a potential trading partner. Having faced his own battles against France and the Dutch, and dealt with a British naval blockade, the Sultan likely appreciated the Americans' desire for liberation from European dominance.
In a strategic move to elevate Morocco's status, Mohammed III's recognition of the United States ahead of others was an opportunity not to be missed. He aspired to transform Morocco from a marginal kingdom in North Africa into a significant power along the Atlantic, which had become a perilous route for American ships. North African pirates controlled vast stretches of the sea, posing a dire threat to American merchant vessels. Any American captain venturing forth with cargo from Boston or Baltimore would soon find themselves confronted by swarms of pirate ships as soon as they ventured beyond the coastline.
The Sultan offered protection to American vessels and opened Moroccan ports for trade, issuing directives to consuls and traders in Tangier, Salé, and Essaouira, declaring that American ships could trade, procure supplies, and seek refuge in Moroccan ports without harassment. In doing so, Morocco placed the United States among ten other European powers that enjoyed similar privileges, including Russia, Sardinia, and Prussia. Yet, amidst the chaos of war, American leaders remained largely unaware of this significant initiative.
News traveled slowly in those days, and some accounts indicate that Benjamin Franklin, serving as America's envoy in Paris, did not learn of the Sultan's gesture until the spring of 1778. Even after receiving the news, American officials were preoccupied with the war and the pressing question of whether the republic could survive. Nevertheless, the Sultan persisted, turning to Étienne d'Audibert Caille, a French trader appointed to represent nations without consuls in Morocco. Caille wrote to Franklin on behalf of the Sultan, but received no response, prompting him to write again—with the same result.
Finally, in September 1780, nearly three years after the Sultan's initial declaration, Continental Congress President Samuel Huntington informed Congress members of the Sultan's invitation for the United States to trade in Moroccan ports. The Congress eventually replied, expressing a desire for peace and friendship. However, a mere polite response was insufficient for the Sultan, who sought a formal treaty and trade agreements with America. In October 1784, seven years after opening Moroccan ports to American ships, Mohammed III ordered the detention of an American merchant ship named Betsey after it left the Spanish port of Cadiz. Although the seizure seemed hostile, it was, in fact, a calculated diplomatic move to compel Americans to negotiate.
Ultimately, Washington was forced to act. In 1786, Thomas Barclay, the American envoy to France and an Irish immigrant who had become a supporter of the American Revolution, traveled to Morocco to negotiate an official agreement. Shortly thereafter, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, both Founding Fathers serving as diplomats in Europe, finalized the details of the agreement. The Treaty of Friendship between Morocco and the United States was signed on June 28, 1786, and ratified by Congress about a year later. This treaty organized trade, addressed the treatment of shipwrecked sailors, defined the rights of American citizens in Moroccan ports, and provided protection for American vessels from attacks within Moroccan waters.
In 1789, President George Washington personally wrote to Sultan Mohammed III, first expressing the United States' sincere gratitude for the Sultan's friendship and praising the encouragement he had generously extended to American trade. Washington acknowledged that Morocco's support had left a lasting impact on the United States. The Treaty of Friendship remains the longest-standing diplomatic relationship in American history, enduring through decades of challenges, including the Barbary Wars, the French occupation of Morocco, both World Wars, and the Cold War. The American Legation in Tangier continues to stand as a testament to this enduring partnership.
As reported by alhurra.com.
