Second Barbary War

The Second Barbary War (1815–1816) was a conflict between the United States and North African states, primarily Tripoli and Algiers, which had been seizing American ships and demanding ransom for sailors. After unpaid tributes and previous conflicts, the U.S. sent naval forces to protect its maritime interests, leading to military actions that forced the Barbary states to end their extortion practices. The war established that the U.S. would defend its ships and interests in the Mediterranean independently, reinforcing its naval power and asserting its stance against piracy and extortion by these North African states.