As part of Jay's Treaty, the U.S. had to pay debts owed to British merchants.

Answer 1

While Jay's Treaty was widely viewed as an unpopular agreement in the United States, it did help prevent a renewed escalation of conflict between Britain and the early Republic for a short time. It was unpopular in the United States because the people viewed it as overly favorable to Britain and it's concerns. The treaty agreed to settle American debts owed to British merchants from before the American Revolution, but also reaffirmed that Britain would remove the Royal Army troops stationed in forts in the Northwestern U.S. territories, as well as granted the U.S. a special economic status in matters of trade between Britain and the States. John Jay would go on to become the U.S.'s first Chief Justice.