US-Canada border negotiations

Definition

These are diplomatic discussions held between Canada and the United States to determine their shared border. The most significant negotiation resulted in establishing a straight line along the 49th parallel north as much as possible.

Analogy

Imagine you're sharing a room with your sibling, but you can't agree on how to divide it. So, you bring in your parents (the negotiators) who decide to draw a straight line across the middle - this is similar to how diplomats established most parts of US-Canada border.

Related terms

49th Parallel North: The circle of latitude that is 49 degrees north from Earth's equatorial plane; it serves as most part of boundary between contiguous U.S. and Canada.

Oregon Treaty: An agreement signed between Great Britain and America in 1846 which settled disputes over the territory west of the Rocky Mountains, establishing the 49th parallel as the border.

Boundary Waters Treaty: A treaty signed in 1909 between U.S. and Canada for resolving disputes over waters shared by both countries.