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Uncover the Truth About the Treaty of Tordesillas

Uncover the Truth About the Treaty of Tordesillas

The Treaty of Tordesillas is a
fairly early example of international treaties in the Western world. The Treaty
of Tordesillas was signed at Tordesillas, which is currently located in Spain,
in 1494 and was a treaty which was specifically designed to dispense the lands
which had been discovered recently by explorers from the European countries.

The Treaty of Tordesillas thus
divided lands primarily between Portugal and Spain. The Treaty of Tordesillas
was considered important to resolve the issue of which countries would have the
right to the lands discovered by Christopher Columbus, for example, which most countries
wanted some right to at the time.

The lands had previously been
divided according to papal bulls, which were edicts issued by the Pope saying
which country had rights to which lands. The Treaty of Tordesillas overrode
those papal bulls and instead established a particular line for demarcating the
lands and stated that Spain would have rights to all lands discovered to the
west of the line and Portugal would have rights to all lands discovered to the
east of the line.

The line established by the Treaty
of Tordesillas ran from the North Pole to the South Pole and was established at
the midway point between the islands discovered by Christopher Columbus and the
Cape Verde Islands off the coast of Africa.  The Treaty of Tordesillas was
not vigorously or rigidly enforced, as there was some Portuguese expansion into
lands which technically fell into the Spanish section of divided territory.
Most of the territory apportioned through the Treaty of Tordesillas had never
been seen by Europeans before.

Discover the Kyoto Treaty

Discover the Kyoto Treaty

The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty which was established by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan in order to produce significant changes in the nations of the world, such that overall emissions which lead to global warming might be reduced. 
The Kyoto Treaty thus stands out as one of the largest international efforts towards environmental protection to have been implemented to date. 
The Kyoto Protocol specifically asks the nations that sign onto the Kyoto Treaty to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide, sulphur hexafluoride, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, and perflurocarbons to certain acceptable levels. 
The means by which countries might meet the standards of the Kyoto Protocol would vary between states, but could include such means as emissions trading, for example. The Kyoto Treaty split nations up into different categories called Annexes in order to determine exactly what emissions reductions they must implement by 2012.
The Kyoto Treaty has currently been agreed to and joined with by 187 different states throughout the world, ranging from Fiji to Lesotho to Denmark to Canada and others as members. The Kyoto Protocol was signed by the United States, but the United States Government itself has not ratified the Kyoto Treaty, which means that the Kyoto Protocol standards have not been put into effect by the United States of America. 
There are several other nations which have not signed onto the Kyoto Protocol, including the Palestinian Authority and Vatican City.

Treaty of Westphalia Explained

Treaty of Westphalia Explained

The Treaty of Westphalia does not actually refer to a single treaty, but to multiple treaties which were implemented in order to end the Thirty Years’ War of the Holy Roman Empire, along with the Eighty Years’ War which was waged between Spain and the Dutch Republic. The Treaty of Westphalia was implemented in 1648, though because the Treaty of Westphalia actually refers to multiple treaties it was implemented over the course of several months from May to October.
The Treaty of Westphalia primarily consisted of three treaties, one of which was signed in Osnabruck and the other two of which were signed in Munster. One of the treaties signed in Munster was known as the Peace of Munster and was signed after the other two treaties, which were both each signed on the same day, though in two different locations. The treaty which was signed in Munster was known as the Treaty of Munster and the treaty which was signed in Osnabruck was known as the Treaty of Osnabruck.
Together, these treaties make up the overall Treaty of Westphalia, which concerned the disposition of the Holy Roman Emperor, the Holy Roman Empire, Sweden, France, the Dutch Republic, Spain, and any allies of these important states.
The Treaty of Westphalia is considered very important in the history of international treaties and diplomacy because it is considered to have been the first instance of an international diplomatic assembly in the modern form. The Treaty of Westphalia thus stands out as a landmark in European history.  

Understanding the Status of Forces Agreement

Understanding the Status of Forces Agreement

 

A Status of Forces Agreement is
not any particular treaty, but is instead a type of treaty which might be
employed in order to help address the relationship between two different
countries in terms of the armed forces of those countries. A Status of Forces
Agreement sets out the terms between a host country and another nation whose
forces might be remaining within the host country for some purpose.

The Status of Forces Agreement
would, for example, set out the rights and responsibilities afforded to the
military troops of the foreign country within the host country, such that the
status of these troops is understood with regard to international politics. The
Status of Forces Agreement would not dictate the exact terms of the agreement
by which military forces are stationed within the host country, however. It
would instead only establish the nature of the status that those military
forces might have within the host country.

The United States has a great
many different instances of a Status of Forces Agreement, as it must have one
Status of Forces Agreement for every country in which it has stationed a
significant military presence. This means that the United States has a Status
of Forces Agreement for states including the United Kingdom, Russia, South
Korea, and France, as well as for other nations where the American military
presence might be considered more integral, such as Iraq or Afghanistan. The
different Status of Forces Agreements are specifically designed to dictate the
legal rules regarding the nature of these military forces in a foreign country.

Peace Treaty and All You Need to Know

Peace Treaty and All You Need to Know

A peace treaty is a very
general term for any kind of treaty which would lead to the establishment of
some form of peace between two nations or governmental entities and which would,
thus, most often end a period of violence and conflict. As a peace treaty
establishes peace, it is separate and different from other forms of
conflict-ending treaties and interactions, which might end violence, as with an
armistice, but which would not actually bring about the same kind of lasting
peace meant from a peace treaty.

A peace treaty will generally
dictate many important terms regarding the conflict and the nations involved so
as to best help them satisfactorily end the conflict and prevent any future
conflicts from arising. To that end, a peace treaty might establish some means
by which the involved nations could solve future conflicts non-violently

A
peace treaty is also likely to establish certain important factors, including
rules regarding the behavior of the involved nations, the payment of any debts
which might have existed prior to the conflict and which might have arisen
during the conflict, the nature of any territorial borders which the countries
involved in the conflict might have, and more.

A peace treaty is different
from a non-proliferation treaty, although a non-proliferation treaty can be
considered to be something of a peace treaty in the modern world. A
non-proliferation treaty is a treaty which is specifically designed to prevent
nuclear weapons from spreading throughout the world, and as such, is designed
to limit future nuclear conflict in a means similar to a peace treaty. However,
a non-proliferation treaty is not a peace treaty because it is not designed to
end all conflict inherently, and it was not implemented to end a conflict, so
much as to prevent future conflict.

What You Didn’t Know About the Antarctic Treaty

What You Didn't Know About the Antarctic Treaty

 

The Antarctic Treaty is the
treaty which was implemented in order to determine the exact disposition of
Antarctica with regard to the international community. The Antarctic Treaty was
the initial document which established the basic tenets for the disposition of
Antarctica, with the Antarctic Treaty being expanded over time into the
Antarctic Treaty System, including amendments and changes to the Antarctic
Treaty which were designed to change the way in which Antarctica was dealt with
internationally for the better.

The Antarctic Treaty itself was
put into effect in 1961 and has remained in effect ever since. The initial
signers of the Antarctic Treaty included Argentina, Belgium, France, Japan, New
Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Soviet Union, as well
as four others.

The Antarctic Treaty sets out
that Antarctica cannot be used by any country for any kind of military purpose
and that it should be preserved and retained for the purposes of science and
scientific expeditions. The Antarctic Treaty also sets out that no nation has
territorial rights to Antarctica, meaning that no nation has the right to
dispense with hazardous waste in Antarctica, for example.

The Antarctic Treaty establishes
the International Court of Justice as the Court which will handle any
disagreements which might arise with regard to the disposition of Antarctica.
The Antarctic Treaty has been expanded by such treaties as the Convention for
the Conservation of Antarctic Seals, the Protocol on Environmental Protection
to the Antarctic Treaty, and the Convention on the Regulation of Antarctic
Mineral Resource Activities.

Understanding the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

Understanding the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty was signed into effect in 1970 and was designed to prevent nuclear
weapons from proliferating throughout the world, thereby limiting the danger
represented by nuclear weapons. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty currently
has 189 different nations as member states, five of whom are held under the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as states which have nuclear weapons. Those
nations are France, China, the United Kingdom, Russia, and the United Nations.

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty does not apply to all nations in the world, however, and some of those
non-member nations are believed to have nuclear weapons of their own, thus
posing something of a danger with regard to the overall purpose of the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty. These include India, Pakistan, North Korea, and
Israel.

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty was initially put into effect in order to help stabilize the world and
prevent a situation in which a great many nations all held nuclear weapons, as
many individuals in national governments realized that the Cold War standoff
deterrent relationship which existed between the United States and the Soviet Union
might not be sustainable if there were more nations with nuclear weapons, which
might destabilize the already fragile relationship.

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty is based around three basic notions: non-proliferation, meaning a lack
of spreading of nuclear weapons; disarmament, meaning a reduction of the number
of nuclear weapons in the world overall; and peaceful use of nuclear energy,
which is focused on ensuring that nuclear energy is still available for use as
long as it is being used in a safe and peaceable fashion.

All You Need to Know About A Treaty

All You Need to Know About A Treaty

Treaty Background 
“Treaty” is generally the term which is applied to a piece of documentation which two or more countries agree to sign, thereby agreeing to abide by its terms. Treaties often do not have organizations which can explicitly enforce the terms of the treaties on nations, as each nation that signs a treaty is ultimately still separate and sovereign. 
Good Friday Agreement
The Good Friday Agreement was signed on Good Friday 1998, and it ended, at least on paper, the conflict between the Northern and Southern parts of Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement, which was also known as the Belfast Agreement, would keep part of the country under British rule, but it would also help to settle the conflict and prevent it from claiming more lives. 
Munich Agreement 
The Munich Agreement was an agreement made in 1938 which ultimately allowed Adolf Hitler to annex the Sudetenland, taking it from Czechoslovakia. The Munich Pact was thus signed as part of the strategy of appeasement which Neville Chamberlain and other politicians had been employing towards Adolf Hitler. 
Treaty of Tordesillas 
The Treaty of Tordesillas was signed at Tordesillas in Spain and was meant to divide up the newly discovered territory of the New World. The signing countries included Spain and Portugal, who divided the land via a line from the North Pole to the South Pole without understanding the full geography in question.  
Kyoto Treaty
The Kyoto Treaty was established in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan as a treaty aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions throughout the world. The Kyoto Protocol, to that end, established requirements for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions along with means in which to do it and means of imposing sanctions on those who sign the Kyoto treaty and then violate its terms.  
Treaty of Westphalia
The Treaty of Westphalia is actually a set of many treaties which ended the Thirty Years’ War and the Eighty Years’ War as well. The Treaty of Westphalia came into effect in 1648 and included such treaties as the Peace of Munster and the Treaty of Osnabruck. The Treaty of Westphalia thus ended hostilities between the Holy Roman Emperor, Sweden, France, Spain, the Dutch Republic, and more. 
Status of Forces Agreement
A Status of Forces Agreement is an agreement usually made between a host nation and a foreign nation which sets out the legal terms under which the foreign nation’s military forces remain within the host nation. Specifically, the legal terms of the Status of Forces Agreement will be focused on issues such as jurisdiction, rights, and responsibilities, as opposed to the nature of the military forces and their station. 
Peace Treaty 
A peace treaty is considered a particular kind of treaty which genuinely ends a conflict and sets out a legally binding peace. This means that a peace treaty is considered to be something different from an armistice, which sets out just a cessation of hostilities, and from a non-proliferation treaty, which might not end an actual conflict. 
Antarctic Treaty 
The Antarctic Treaty is the international treaty which is designed to provide for the disposition of Antarctica between the nations of the world. The Antarctic Treaty ensures that Antarctica will not be used for weapons on the part of any given nation. It also ensures that scientific expeditions to Antarctica will be protected.
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty 
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was put into effect in 1970 in order to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons throughout the world. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty currently has most of the world’s nations as signatories, with a few nations refusing to sign or having seceded from the treaty. 
Treaty of Waitangi 
The Treaty of Waitangi is considered to be the foundational document for the modern-day state of New Zealand. The Treaty of Waitangi was a treaty made between the British Empire and the native Maori tribes of New Zealand, but it is under a great deal of contention because of the differences of the Treaty of Waitangi as stated in the Maori language and the Treaty of Waitangi as stated in English. 
Treaty of Utrecht 
The Treaty of Utrecht was signed in 1713 by Great Britain, France, Spain, Savoy, and the Dutch Republic in order to end the War of Spanish Succession and establish Philip V as the King of Spain. The Treaty of Utrecht is thus considered to hold a very important role in overall European history.
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris could refer to any of a number of different treaties, as there are many different treaties which bear the title of Treaty of Paris. Some notable examples of a Treaty of Paris include the Treaty which ended American involvement in the Vietnam War, the Treaty of Paris of 1898 which ended the Spanish-American War and gave America many of its territories, and the Treaty of Paris of 1763 which ended the French and Indian War. 
European Union Treaty 
There are many European Union treaties of significance for the organization, in particular because many of the most basic laws and structures within the European Union are established from treaties between the many member states of the European Union. Some treaties include the Schengen Agreement, the Treaty of Nice, the Lisbon Treaty, and the Treaty of Rome.

Understanding the Good Friday Agreement

Understanding the Good Friday Agreement

The Good Friday Agreement, also known as the Belfast Agreement or the Stormont Agreement, is an international treaty which was officially signed on Good Friday 1998 in Belfast. The Good Friday Agreement brought an end to the war between Ireland and the British presence within Ireland.
The Belfast Agreement established that Ireland would be declared an entirely independent state from Britain except for six counties of Northern Ireland, which would continue to be held as part of Britain. The Good Friday Agreement thus officially ended the conflict in Ireland which had raged since the 1920s between different elements of the Irish populace, particularly Catholic and Protestant elements who were respectively against British rule and in favor of British rule. Although this is a generalization, and there were likely to be exceptions to both sides of that description.
The Belfast agreement ensures that Britain removed all its troops from Ireland and that the two sides in Ireland, considered to be North Ireland and South Ireland, would meet and negotiate in order to peacefully establish a new government that might be able to rule over the whole of Ireland with fairness and justice. 
The Good Friday Agreement established a two year cease fire between the two sides, which ultimately was upheld and was a significant boon to starting and supporting the peace process. There is still an ongoing negotiation for establishing a full government for the whole of Ireland, but the Good Friday Agreement was certainly successful at helping to stop the conflict.  

Understanding the Munich Agreement

Understanding the Munich Agreement

The Munich Agreement or Munich Pact was an international agreement established in 1938 which was designed to avoid war between the powers of Europe by allowing Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler to annex the Sudetenland. Sudetenland was the western regions of Czechoslovakia, which were primarily inhabited by ethnic Germans. 
The Munich Agreement received its name from the fact that the Munich Pact was established out of a conference in Munich, Germany, between Britain, France, Germany, and Italy, and their respective prime ministers. One of the names thus most often associated with the Munich Agreement is that of Neville Chamberlain, as Chamberlain was the British Prime Minister at the time and was in great part responsible for the policies which led to the adoption of the Munich Pact.
Chamberlain attempted to employ a strategy of appeasement, meaning that he was attempting to give Adolf Hitler what he wanted in order to avoid any war or conflict in Europe. As such, the Munich Agreement was an attempt to satiate Nazi Germany before it would go to a conflict.
Ultimately, then, the Munich Pact is considered to have been a failure, as it did not prevent Nazi Germany from going to war afterwards and it furthermore violated the rights of the Czechoslovakian people whom it concerned. 
This was because the Munich Agreement gave Germany control of the most important defensive borders of Czechoslovakia along with some of Czechoslovakia’s most important banks and resources, thereby effectively rendering it incapable of defending against Nazi Germany and all without having Czechoslovakia itself being a member of the conference which established the Munich Pact.