Treaty of Ghent

Definition

The Treaty of Ghent was a peace treaty that ended the War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain. It was signed on December 24, 1814 in Ghent, Belgium.

Analogy

Think of the Treaty of Ghent like a referee blowing the whistle at the end of a soccer match. Both teams (the US and Britain) were tired and ready to stop fighting, so they agreed to go back to how things were before the game started - no clear winner, but no more conflict either.

Related terms

War of 1812: A military conflict between the United States and Great Britain from 1812-1815.

Status quo ante bellum: A Latin phrase meaning "the state existing before the war". This term is often used in treaties to restore conditions that existed prior to a war.

Impressment: The act by which men were captured and forced into naval service; one major cause for War of 1812.