Ottoman Empire & USA: The Untold History & Diplomacy (1797-1927)

Why does this matter right now? The strategic partnership between Turkey and the USA is often framed as a modern phenomenon of the NATO era. But the roots go much deeperback to a secret arms deal in 1830 and the first American trade mission in 1797. To understand modern geopolitics, you need to understand why an Ottoman Sultan took sides with Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War.

I. Introduction: More Than Just Tobacco and Figs

Forget the dusty history books that just list dates. The relationship between the Sublime Porte and the young American Republic was a diplomatic thriller. It was about protection from piracy, access to the Black Sea, and technological exchange that European powers watched with suspicion. We are going to look behind the curtain of an alliance built on pragmatism rather than ideology.

II. The Ottoman Empire: The Giant on the Bosphorus

To understand the dynamic, we have to grasp the scale. Between 1299 and 1922, the Ottoman Empire wasn’t just a state; it was a world order. It controlled the holy sites and trade routes of three continents. Take a look at my research on Ottoman Jerusalem to see how deeply rooted this influence was, both culturally and administratively.

• Geopolitical Power: An empire that mastered the balance between centralization in Istanbul and regional autonomy.
• The ‘Sick Man’ of Europe? A Western cliché. In the 19th century, the Empire was an active, reformist player seeking modern allianceslike the one with the USAto withstand European pressure.

III. The USA: The Young Challenger

After 1776, the USA was hungry. Hungry for markets and recognition. However, without the protection of the British fleet, American merchant ships in the Mediterranean were easy prey for the Barbary corsairs (who were nominally under Ottoman suzerainty). The route to Smyrna (Izmir) wasn’t just a trade adventure; it was a matter of national security and survival for the American merchant marine.

IV. Diplomatic Relations: The Breakthrough of 1830

A. The First Contact and the Ship “Ann”

Long before official ambassadors, it was merchants who built the bridges. As early as 1797, the first American merchant ship, the Ann, sailed into the port of Izmir. This marked the factual beginning of direct commercial relations.

B. The Treaty of 1830 and the “Secret Article” Mystery

On May 7, 1830, the USA and the Ottoman Empire signed their first Treaty of Commerce and Navigation in Constantinople. But that is only half the truth.

The Hidden Gem: The treaty contained a separate, secret article. This allowed the Ottoman Empire to have warships built in American shipyards and to import timber for shipbuilding. While the US Senate ratified the public part on February 2, 1831, the secret article was rejected for constitutional and political reasonsyet it shows just how closely military industrial cooperation was planned.

C. From Legation to Embassy

David Porter became the first Chargé d’Affaires in Constantinople in 1831. But it wasn’t until 1906 that the USA officially upgraded its diplomatic mission to an Embassy. John G. A. Leishman became the first US Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire on June 18, 1906, a clear signal that Washington was now treating the Porte as a Great Power on equal footing.

These formal processes remind us of modern bureaucratic hurdles. Anyone doing international business today knows the complexity of the legalization of foreign documents,a necessity that has its roots in exactly these early consular agreements.

V. Trade: Opium, Cotton, and Rugs

American merchants quickly established themselves in Izmir and Istanbul. While the USA supplied manufactured goods and new technologies, Ottoman exports were highly coveted in American salons. Alongside figs and raisins, the Anatolian rug became a symbol of luxury and sophistication in American households.

VI. Cultural Influence: Fact and Fiction

A. The Orientalism Boom

In the 19th century, America experienced a wave of “Turquerie.” Fashion, furniture, and art were heavily influenced by Ottoman style. American missionaries, who first arrived in Smyrna in 1820 (Pliny Fisk and Levi Parsons), brought not only religion to the Orient but also detailed reports about life in the Empire back to the homeland.

B. The Myth of the Capitol Dome

There is a persistent rumor that the US Capitol dome was directly inspired by Ottoman architecture. Here we need to curate the facts: While architect Thomas U. Walter used a double dome construction of cast irona technique showing structural parallels to Islamic domesofficial documents from the Architect of the Capitol prove he primarily looked to European models like St. Paul’s Cathedral in London and the Panthéon in Paris. The resemblance is striking, but it’s proof of convergent engineering rather than a direct technology transfer.

VII. Conflict and Alliances: The American Civil War

This is where the true depth of the relationship reveals itself. While European powers like Great Britain and France flirted with the Confederates (the South), the Ottoman Empire took a clear stance.

A. Sultan Abdülaziz Supports Lincoln

In 1862, Sultan Abdülaziz issued a decree banning Confederate warships from entering Ottoman ports and prohibiting arms sales to the South. The motive was political realism: The Ottoman Empire was itself struggling with internal uprisings and therefore supported, on principle, state unity and the central government of the Union. This is a historical fact that is often overlooked.

VIII. The End and the New Beginning (1917-1927)

World War I brought the rupture. In 1917, the USA severed diplomatic relations. However, unlike the European Allies, the USA never officially declared war on the Ottoman Empire.

After the war and the victory of the Turkish National Movementshaped by figures like Halide Edip Adıvar, who herself had strong ties to American educational institutionsrelations had to be redefined. Since the US Senate rejected the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923, diplomatic relations were restored on February 17, 1927, through a pragmatic exchange of notes (“Modus Vivendi”) in Ankara between Admiral Mark L. Bristol and Turkish Foreign Minister Tevfik Rüştü Bey.

IX. Timeline of Key Moments

• 1797: Arrival of the US merchant ship “Ann” in Izmir.
• 1820: First American missionaries (Pliny Fisk & Levi Parsons) reach Smyrna.
• 1830: Signing of the Commercial Treaty (including the secret article on warships).
• 1831: David Porter becomes the first Chargé d’Affaires of the US Legation in Constantinople.
• 1862: The Ottoman Empire bans Confederate ships from entering ports (Support for the Union).
• 1906: Elevation of the US Mission to Embassy; John G. A. Leishman becomes the first Ambassador.
• 1927: Resumption of full diplomatic relations through the Ankara Agreement.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

Why did the Ottomans support the North in the Civil War?
As an empire struggling with fragmentation itself, the Ottoman leadership sympathized with Lincoln’s fight to preserve the Union and oppose secession.

When did official relations begin?
The first formal treaty was signed on May 7, 1830, although trade contacts had existed since 1797.

Did the USA declare war on the Ottoman Empire?
No. Although diplomatic relations were severed in 1917, the two nations were never officially in a state of wara historical anomaly of World War I.