USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -The oceans had long been subject to the freedom of-the-seas doctrine-a principle put forth in the 17th century, essentially limiting national rights and jurisdiction over the oceans to a narrow sea belt surrounding a nation’s coastline.

Detailed explanation-2: -The Freedom of the Seas is an international legal concept regarding non-territorial waters. It allows for ships to navigate the open seas freely without any restrictions in movement from one port to another.

Detailed explanation-3: -The main reason for the American entry into World War I was the German use of submarine warfare (1917), violating the United State right to freedom of the seas. German was suffering from near-starvation due to a lack of supplies and food.

Detailed explanation-4: -Background↑ The conceptual underpinnings for “freedom of the seas” lay in the 1908 Declaration of London and the international law it established for the conduct of naval warfare.

Detailed explanation-5: -The foundation is the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982). It says that a country may claim an area extending 12 nautical miles from its coast as its own territorial sea. Additionally it can exploit 200 nautical miles of the water column beyond its coast as its exclusive economic zone.