Why did spain agree to a treaty with the united states in 1795? a) spain feared a u. s. alliance with great britain. b) spain was at war with france and great britain. c) spain wanted access to new orleans and the mississippi river. d) spain wanted to sell florida to the united states.

The correct answer is A. Spain feared a U.S. alliance with Great Britain.

Let's review the facts prior to and during the negotiation of the Treaty of San Lorenzo or Pinckney.  

1. Option D is wrong because Spain, at that moment, wasn't interested in starting a negotiation to sell Florida.

2. Option C is also wrong because New Orleans was already part of Spain's territory in North America. What happened is totally the opposite: United States wanted to access New Orleans and the Mississippi estuary and got it, after the ratification of the Treaty by President Washington on March 7, 1796, in Philadelphia.

3. Option B is inaccurate because the war between Spain and Great Britain started on August 18, 1796, after the signature of the Treaty. And Spain also signed a Treaty with France, the Treaty of San Ildefonso in 1796 to military support  each other in case of a war with a third country, even setting deadlines to react and send troops, horses and shipments.

Those are the reasons to select A as the valid answer.