List

The Treaty of Ghent is organized as a list of articles, each of which establishes particular requirements for the new peace between the two parties. The articles vary from super-general to hyper-detailed. Article Ten essentially states "we should abolish the slave trade," whereas Article Four exhaustively instructs on how to divvy up disputed island territory using an arbitration commission.

Personally, we think the slave trade issue deserved a little more ink, but that wasn't an important point of disagreement in the war.

How it Breaks Down

Intro

The first paragraph of the Treaty declares its purpose: to end the war and restore "good Understanding" (Intro.1) between the U.S. and Britain. The rest of the intro is a shout-out list naming the authors of the text. Think of it like the beginning credits of a movie.

Article 1

The most important themes of the treaty are laid down right here. The first article restores all territory, property, and material taken during the war to its antebellum, or pre-war, status. It was like it never happened.

Article 2

This section sets parameters for how to get the message of peace out to everyone who needed to know. Since they couldn't just shoot out a text in 1814 (Thomas Jefferson couldn't invent everything), the second article states that "vessels and effects" (II.1) taken in North America within twelve days following the ratification of the treaty have to be given back. The number of days increases the farther you get from America.

Article 3

This section promises the return of all prisoners of war to each side. It also makes each side pay back the other for the cost of keeping those prisoners. All that bangers and mash was expensive.

Article 4

Even after agreeing to give conquered land back, the two sides disagree on who owns certain islands in the Bay of Fundy, between Nova Scotia and Maine. The treaty calls for two commissioners, one British and one American, to decide who owns which island. The commissioners get full and independent authority, and their decisions are final. If they can't come to terms on a particular subject, the issue gets referred to the judgment of "a friendly Sovereign of State" (IV.8).

Study tip: the next two articles dealing with pairs of Commissioners refer back to the rules laid down in Article Four.

Article 5

Pretty much the same as Article Four. Two more commissioners are appointed to map the borderlands between the U.S. and Canada around where the Connecticut River meets Nova Scotia. Their ultimate task was to determine a firm international borderline. But why did Canada get the totally cooler side of Niagara Falls?

Article 6

Two more commissioners. This pair is tasked with surveying, mapping, and dividing up the area around the Great Lakes. In particular, they are supposed to decide what constitutes the "middle" of several lakes—and hence, which parts belong to either the U.S. or Britain.

Article 7

The two commissioners from Article Six return for a second performance. Their next task is to "fix and determine" an international border between the Great Lakes and the Lake of the Woods, which is mostly in modern-day Ontario but creeps into Minnesota. The U.S. is allowed to keep Minneapolis, because FX had just picked up Fargo for another season.

Article 8

This article deals with some of the nitty-gritty details concerning the commissioners. All the commissioners mentioned in the prior articles have permission to hire surveyors and secretaries to keep track of their reports. They are required to submit copies of all their reports to their home countries. The two sides agree to determine how to pay the commissioners after the treaty is signed and sealed, and to split costs evenly. If a commissioner dies, the country has to appoint another one to take his place. Finally, all land grants made prior to the treaty have to be honored.

Article 9

Both the United States and Britain agree to cease any wars with Native American tribes, provided that the tribes do the same.

Article 10

The two sides agree to do what they can to end the international slave trade. The U.S. had already outlawed the importation of slaves in 1807. Of course, that didn't stop southern states from sustaining a booming domestic slave trade.

Article 11

The cherry on top of this diplomatic sundae. Article Eleven states that the treaty will be binding on both countries once it's signed. It also requires that the treaty be ratified without any changes. We also get our place and date: Ghent, Belgium on Christmas Eve. The perfect gift for two war-weary countries.