Conflicts & Resolutions · Treaty

Clayton–Bulwer Treaty

1850 · 19th century

The Clayton–Bulwer Treaty was signed in 1850 by the United States and Britain, represented by John M. Clayton and Sir Henry Bulwer. Both powers agreed that neither would seek exclusive control of a future canal across Central America or colonise any part of the region. Disputes over its meaning led Britain to give up the Bay Islands and the Mosquito Coast, and it was replaced by the Hay–Pauncefote Treaty of 1901.

Clayton–Bulwer Treaty
Image: Giuseppe Fagnani · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 1 profile

Republic of NicaraguaImpact

Mentioned in 1 state history

Colony of the Bay Islands

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Clayton–Bulwer Treaty. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/clayton-bulwer-treaty
MLA
“Clayton–Bulwer Treaty.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/clayton-bulwer-treaty. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Clayton–Bulwer Treaty.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/clayton-bulwer-treaty.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Clayton–Bulwer Treaty’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/clayton-bulwer-treaty (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻