Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco

During the American Revolution, so many American ships used to call at the port of Tangiers that the Continental Congress sought recognition from the “Emperor” of Morocco to establish good relations between the two countries. This recognition was granted in 1777, making Morocco the first country to recognize the United States of America. Negotiations on a formal treaty to establish ties between the two countries began in 1783. The Moroccan-American Treaty of Friendship was signed in 1786. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, both future U.S. Presidents were the signatories for the United States.

Renegotiated in 1836, the treaty is still in force, constituting the longest unbroken treaty in U.S. history. As testament to the special nature of the U.S.-Moroccan relationship, Tangier is home to the oldest U.S. diplomatic property in the world, and the only building on foreign soil that is listed in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, the American Legation in Tangier (now a museum).