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In 1784, Franklin was appointed by Congress to a special commission to oversee
negotiations with the Barbary states of Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli.
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson also served on the commission, whose task was
to negotiate a special treaty with these small pirate kingdoms and end their
attacks on American vessels. The Barbary pirates attacked and plundered merchant
ships, ruining trade and disrupting shipping in the entire Mediterranean area.
In 1785, Congress agreed to pay $80,000 in tributes to the Barbary states.
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