The Rush-Bagot Agreement (1817): The World's First Arms Control Treaty

The Rush-Bagot Agreement (formally: Exchange of Notes Between the United States and Great Britain Respecting Naval Forces on the American Lakes) was signed April 28–29, 1817 by Acting Secretary of State Richard Rush and British Minister Sir Charles Bagot.

Core Terms

• Lake Ontario: 1 vessel each (≤100 tons, 1×18-pdr cannon).
• Upper Great Lakes (Erie, Huron, Michigan, Superior): 2 vessels each (≤100 tons, 1×18-pdr).
• Lake Champlain: 1 vessel each (same limits).
• All other lakes: No armed vessels.
• Dismantle existing forts on border; no new fortifications.

Why It Mattered

• First modern arms control treaty – Quantitative limits, verification (mutual inspection), durability.
• Demilitarized 4,000+ km border – Longest undefended boundary today.
• Enabled US-Canada commerce – Great Lakes became highway, not front line.
• Model for later treaties – Washington Naval (1922), SALT, START.

Still in Force

Modified 1946 (US/Canada) for Coast Guard vessels. Core principle holds: Great Lakes = peaceful. No war ships since 1814.

Two notes. Two centuries. Diplomacy > dreadnoughts.