The Alien Tort Statute ( ATS ) is one of the greatest enigmas of American legal history. Enacted in 1789, it was little used until the late 1970s, when foreigners notably began seeking compensation under its terms for human rights abuses committed around the world. Recently, the US Supreme Court seemed to put an end to this practice – but the ATS is still of interest to historians. After the American War of Independence, Great Britain and the United States maintained a robust trade and close economic relationship. Many Americans saw the perpetuation of these ties as essential to the new republic’s prosperity. The ATS helped frame the United States’ mercantile associations in terms of customary maritime and trade law; in particular, evidence suggests it aimed to provide a mechanism in US courts for the remedy of commercial disputes, especially with Americans’ former imperial overlord, in accordance with the contemporary law of nations.

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海上交往与《外国人侵权法》的商业渊源

《外国人侵权法》（ATS）是美国法律史上最大的谜团之一。该法于1789年制定，直到1970年代后期才开始使用，当时外国人尤其开始根据其在世界范围内侵犯人权的条款寻求赔偿。最近，美国最高法院似乎已终止了这种做法，但历史学家仍然对ATS感兴趣。美国独立战争之后，大不列颠和美国保持了稳固的贸易和紧密的经济关系。许多美国人认为这些纽带的延续对新共和国的繁荣至关重要。苯丙胺类兴奋剂帮助按照习惯海事和贸易法构架了美国的商业协会；特别是，有证据表明，该举动旨在为美国法院提供一种解决商业纠纷的机制，