Chapter 12 Foreign Affairs in the Young America

We are going to examine the first 5 U.S. presidents and how they handled issues with forging nations during the nations start under the new Constitution. Here is the essential question:

To what extent should the United States have become involved in world affairs in the early 1800s?

Section 1: George Washington Section 2: John Adams Section 3: Thomas Jefferson Section 4: James Madison Section 5: James Monroe Washington will introduce the idea of Isolationism. You will read and compare the conflicts each president dealt with during their term. Then, you will decide where their decisions would land on the Policy Spectrum: Isolationism, Diplomacy, Internationalism, or Imperialism. Finally, you will need to provide evidence to justify your decision.

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Chapter 12 Section 1 President Washington and Isolationism on Foreign Policy

When George Washington took office as the nations first president in 1789, do United States Army that Washington had commanded during the American Revolution has disbanded. It had not been replaced for two reasons. First the government did not have money to keep its army active. Second, Americans had feared that a standing national army could be used to take away their liberty, as the king had done in the past. So, they believed that state militia troops could handle any threats the country. The nation was surrounded by threats of unfriendly powers. To the north, Great Britain still controlled Canada. The British also refused to abandon their forts in the Ohio Valley area, even though this region belonged to the United States according to the Treaty of Paris of 1763. To the south and west, Spain controlled Florida and Louisiana. (See map on the next page) Events in Europe also threatened our new nation. In 1789, the French rose up against their king in a revolutionary war and declared that France would be a republic. Most Americans were thrilled by the French revolution. However in 1793, France declared a war against Great Britain. The war between France and Great Britain presented President Washington with a difficult problem of deciding which side to take. The United States signed a Treaty of Alliance with France in 1788. Alliances are agreements made with other nations to aid and support each other. In the treaty, the United States had promised to aid (help or support) France in time of war. Many Americans were happy to honor at this pledge and help out the nation that supported them during the American Revolution. Washington knew that the United States was not prepared for war. Instead he announced a policy of neutrality. Neutrality is a policy of not choosing sides in a dispute or war between other countries. Under this policy, the United States would do nothing to aid either France or Great Britain in this war. Before leaving office, Washington summed up his foreign policy in the Farewell Address to the nation. So United States could gain nothing by becoming involved in other nations affairs. He declared, “It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world.“ Washington’s policy of avoiding alliances with other countries became known as isolationism. Isolationism is a policy of avoiding or military agreements with other countries. For the next century, isolationism would be the foundation of the US foreign policy.

Isolationism sounded good in theory. But it often was hard for the first 5 presidents to stay out of other countries conflicts. The next sections will explain how each president dealt with foreign policy issues.

We will compare each president’s reaction on a spectrum of isolationism.

Jay Treaty Washington himself found that isolationism would be difficult starting with Great Britain. Great Britain refused to leave the Ohio Valley area. The French secretly hope that this would lead to war between Great Britain and the United States. Washington sent the US chief justice of the Supreme Court, John Jay, to London to settle the Ohio Valley issues with Britain. Do United States and Great Britain signed a treaty in 1794 known, as the Jay Treaty that stated the British would pull their troops from the Ohio Valley area.

Even though Jay Treaty avoided war between the U.S. and Great Britain, examine the political cartoons that came out of the event. How did some people view the treaty?

NorthAmericanLandClaimsin1796

Chapter 12 Section 2 President John Adam’s Dilemma in Protecting U.S. Ships

The XYZ affair John Adams won the election of 1796. He defeated Thomas Jefferson with just 3 votes. John Adams, our second president, also had difficulty with isolationism. France viewed the Jay Treaty as a violation of its own treaty with United States that was made back in 1778. In July of 1796, the French Navy began attacking US merchant ships heading to Great Britain. Over the next year, the French war ships seized 316 American ships. President Adams sent several envoys or representatives, to France to ask the French to end the attacks. The French foreign minister refused to speak to the Americans. Instead, the US representatives were met by secret agents that were identified only as X, Y, and Z. The agent said that no peace talks would be held unless the French minister received a large sum of money as a tribute. A tribute is money given to someone in exchange for that person‘s protection. The US representatives were shocked by the request and refused to pay the tribute. The XYZ affair outraged Americans when the story reached home. President Adams requested Congress to recruit 10,000 men for in an army. Congress approved and also voted to build 12 new ships for the nations tiny Navy. Their slogan against France was, “Millions for defense but not one cent for tribute!” Congress authorized US warships and privately owned ships to launch what was known as the “half war” at sea. During this undeclared war, American ships captured more than 80-armed French vessels. During this undeclared war, American ships captured more than 80-armed French vessels (ships). Adams Pursues Peace President Adams, a federalist, was never a while love leader. But with the half war, he found himself gaining popularity among many parts of the country. President John Adams knew that no matter how good positive the war might be for the Federalist Party, it would not be good for the country. In February 1799, he announced that he was sending a group of men to France to work for peace. Other federalist leaders were furious. They pleaded with the president of changed his mind, but Adam’s would not budge. At the same time, The French military leader named Napoleon Bonaparte had taken over the French government and was eager to make peace with both great Britain and the United States. He ordered the French Navy to stop seizing American ships and to release captured American sailors. France and the United States wrote a new treaty in 1800. Napoleon agreed to end the 1778 Alliance with the United States. In exchange, he asked the Americans not to ask for payment for all the ships/cargo that had been seized by the French. This meant that the United States government would have to pay American ship owners for any of their property loss during the French seizures. Adams felt that this was a small price to pay for peace with France. When Adams chose peace over war, it cost him his political popularity. The pursuit for peace also created strong disagreements within the Federalist Party. These disagreements lead to John Adams loss for reelection in 1800. Thomas Jefferson defeated Adams in the election and became our third president. After the Adams versus Jefferson election, the Federalist Party lost much of its support and over the next few years the Federalist Party slowly faded away.

Side Note:

Since there was a tie in the original election, the Constitution sends the election to the House of Representatives. There, each state gets one vote. There was another tie!!! So they voted again and Hamilton casted the last vote that broke the tie. He voted for Adams. According to the original wording of the Constitution, Thomas Jefferson became Adam’s vice-president. This caused major issues since the two ran dirty negative campaigns against each other during the run for president. Now the two top leaders of the nations were from two opposing political parties and had to work together. This major issue was also resolved in the 12th amendment.

Chapter 12 Section 3 President Jefferson‘s Actions on Foreign Policy Issues

Our 3rd president, Thomas Jefferson took office in 1801. Wanting to follow the policy of neutrality as Washington and Adams did before him, but Jefferson would find it difficult. In 1803, France and Great Britain were at war again. As their conflict heated it up, both nations began seizing American ships that were trading with the opposite nations enemy. Impressment France did not follow through with the treaty Napoleon signed with John Adams. Therefore it made it difficult for Jefferson to stay neutral when his ships were being seized. And it became even harder when Great Britain began impressing American soldiers. Impressment was the kidnapping of US sailors and forcing them to serve in the British Navy. The British claimed that the men were British runaways. Some were but thousands of unlucky Americans who were not runaways were also impressed.

In 1807, the British warship Leopard, wanted to search for runaways on the US warship Chesapeake. The Chesapeake’s captain refused to allow the search. The Leopard opened fire. This attack triggered another reason for war against Great Britain. Jefferson tried desperately to convince both France and Britain to leave American ships alone. All his diplomatic efforts failed. Between 1803 and 1807, Great Britain had seized at least 1000 American vessels. France had captured about 500 US vessels. When diplomacy failed, Jefferson proposed an embargo. An embargo is a government order that banned trade with other nations. Congress passed the Embargo Act in 1807.

Two main ideas in the Embargo: 1. No foreign ships could enter US ports. 2. No US ships could leave except to trade at other US ports.

Jefferson hoped that stopping trade would prove painful to France and Great Britain that they would agree to leave American ships alone. The embargo proved far more painful to the Americans then to anyone in Europe.

Effects of Embargo: 1. Around 55,000 US sailors lost their jobs. 2. European nations did not experience an economic loss 3. Congress repealed the unpopular embargo act in 1809. 4. American ships returned to the seas, and France and Great Britain were ships

continued to attack them!

Piracy

Another issue Jefferson faced was the threat towards American ships as a sail through the Mediterranean Sea. The Mediterranean Sea is a large body of water between Africa and Europe. Pirates from North African nations referred to as Barbary States (Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, Tripoli) were robbing US merchant ships. Robbery at sea is called piracy. Pirates seized the ships and held their cruise for ransom. President Washington and Adams both paid tribute to the Barbary State rulers in exchange for the safety of American ships. This was the opposite reaction that the US took during the XYZ affair. The United States was quietly sending money to the Barbary States. By the time Jefferson became president, the United States had already paid close to $2 million to the Barbary States. The ruler of Tripoli started to demand more tribute, a sum of $3 million. He even threatened to start a war with the United States if the tribute were not paid. Jefferson hated war but he also hated to pay an insane amount in tribute. In 1802, Jefferson sent a small fleet of warships to the Mediterranean to protect American merchant ships. American ships began bombarding Tripoli with their cannons. More American vessels were captured and men held for ransom. American officers attacked Tripoli harbors. After two years of US attacks and blockades, Tripoli leaders signed a treaty with the United States in 1805. Treaty stated:

1. The Barbary leaders agreed to stop demanding tribute payments. 2. In return, the United States would pay the $60,000 ransom for the last of the American

captives. This was a bargain compared to the millions that the presidents prior to Jefferson had paid to the Barbary States.

Side Note: Other pirates from different Barbary States continued attacking and raiding U.S. vessels in the Mediterranean Sea. Finally in 1815, US and European naval forces bombarded their ports until they were destroyed.

Chapter 12 Section 4 President Madison‘s actions and foreign policy issues

President James Madison took office in 1809. He tried a new approach to protecting Americans at sea. He offered France and Great Britain a deal:

1. If you agree to seize your attacks on American ships 2. The United States will stop treating with your enemy.

Napoleon of France promptly agreed to Madison’s offer. As promised, Madison cut off all trade with Great Britain. Meanwhile the British continued seizing ships and impressment of US sailors. Madison saw only one way to force Great Britain to respect American rights. He wanted to abandon George Washington‘s policy of isolationism and go to war with Great Britain. New Englanders and Federalists opposed going to war. Merchants did not want war to block their trading ports by the British Navy and were willing to take their chances with the troubles at sea. However the people in the South into the West, supported going to war.

1. The British were continued the impressment of U.S. sailors. 2. They accused the British of stirring up trouble among the Native

Americans in the states and Northwest territories.

Native Americans had issues with settlers moving west into the Ohio and Mississippi Valley. The Natives were being pushed off their lands. Two Shawnee Natives, Chief Tecumseh and his brother the Prophet, tried to fight back. They united the Natives along the Mississippi into one great Native Nation. On November 7, 1811, Shawnee warriors fart against a militia force led by Indiana’s Governor Henry Harrison in the battle known as the Battle of Tippecanoe. Harrison’s forces defeated the Natives. After the battle, Harrison had discovered that the Natives were armed with British guns.

Americans were outraged. A young congressman named Henry Clay of Kentucky and John C Calhoun of South Carolina we are eager for war with Great Britain. They were nicknamed “War Hawks”. Congress pointed out that to make the Northwest safe for settlers, the United States needed to drive the British out of Canada. Once that was done, the territories were safe and we could add Canada to the United States.

Madison still hesitated. Was his young nation strong enough to launch a war? Or should they hold on tightly to the olive branch of peace? The reasons for war were mounding: Reason for War:

1. Losing at sea 2. National pride 3. Make the Northwest safe for settlement 4. Arming the Native Americans 5. Adding Canada to the United States

The War of 1812 Madison chose to abandon isolationism. At his request, Congress declared war on Great Britain on July 17, 1812. This was a bold step for a nation with just an army of 7,000 poorly trained men in a navy with only 16 vessels. The War Hawks in Congress are overjoyed when the War of 1812 again. They thought taking over Canada was going to be a simple march through the land. They were wrong. The U.S. tried to invade Canada in1812, 1813 and 1814, but each the British forced them to retreat. The British were having a difficult time at sea. The U.S. naval forces captured a fleet of British six ships on Lake Erie. Another negative for the British was that Chief Tecumseh was killed in Battle of Thames in Canada. In 1814, Great Britain had a large advantage. Napoleon has been defeated in Europe. This allowed the British to send 15,000 troops to Canada. This sealed the end of the American plans to conquer Canada. Meanwhile, another British army invaded Washington, D.C. The British burned several public buildings including the capital and the White House. President Madison had to flee for his life. His wife Dolly Madison is famously recognized for saving the original oil painting of George Washington that was hanging in the White House. Next the British attacked the port city of Baltimore, Maryland. Francis Scott Key watched as the British bombarded Fort McHenry, which guarded the city’s harbor. The bombardment went on all night. In the next morning light, Key was thrilled to see the American flag still waved over the fort, proving that the fort had not been captured. He expressed his feelings in a poem that was later put to music as the “Star-Spangled Banner”.

The Battle of New Orleans Just 2 days before the unsuccessful attack on Baltimore, the British fleet had surrendered to US forces. In Great Britain, news of the defeat greatly weakened the desire to continue the war. But news took time to travel. By the time British commanders sent word the war was over, the United States launched another invasion in New Orleans. General Andrew Jackson and a ragtag army of 7000 militia, free African-Americans, natives and pirates defended New Orleans. On January 8, 1815, more than 7500 British troops marched confidently into battle. Jackson’s troops met them with deadly fire. Some 2000 British soldiers were killed or wounded, compared with only 20 Americans.

The Battle of New Orleans was the greatest U.S. victory of the War of 1812. It was also totally unnecessary. Two weeks earlier, American and British diplomats met in Ghent, Belgium. There they signed the Ghent Peace Treaty ending the war. The news did not reach New Orleans until the battle was fought. Results of the war Both sides claimed victory, but neither Great Britain nor the United States really won the War of 1812.

1. The Treaty of Ghent did not settle any of the issues that had led to the fighting a. U.S. did not gain Canada b. British impressment and ship seizures continued c. British did not gain any lands in the U.S.

Other results of the war were:

2. Native resistance weakened after Tecumseh’s death. After his death, most American Natives were driven out of the Ohio Valley.

3. National pride in United States increased. Many Americans considered the War of 1812 as the second war of independence. They felt that by standing up to the British, United States a truly became a sovereign nation.

4. The federalists were badly damaged by the opposition to the war, and their party never recovered.

5. Two war heroes would later become future U.S. presidents a. William Harrison b. Andrew Jackson

Chapter 12 Section 5 President Monroe‘s Actions on Foreign Policy Issues

James Monroe became the 5th President of the United States in 1817. After the excitement of the War of 1812 he was relieved to return the nation to its policy of isolationism. Americans began to turn their attention away from Europe and directed to the events happening in Latin America. Latin America is a region made up of nations from Mexico to the southern tip of South America. Latin Americans were uprising against their colonial ruler- Spain. Major movements in Mexico and two nations in South America (Venezuela and Argentina) lead the other nations to win their revolt against Spain. By the end of 1825, Latin Americans had driven out the last of the Spanish troops from South America. The independent movements in Latin America excited many Americans. The British also supported the revolutions but for their own reasons. Spain had not allowed other nations to trade with the colonies in Latin America. Once freed from Spanish rule, the new Latin American nations were able to open their doors to foreign trade, including trade with Great Britain. Other European leaders were not so happy. Some even began to talk about helping Spain recover his lost colonies. In 1823, Great Britain asked the United States to join and it’s sending a message to these European leaders, telling them to leave Latin America alone. President James Madison asked former President Thomas Jefferson and James Madison for advice. Should United States do something to support the new Latin American nations? If so what? Thomas Jefferson and James Madison liked the idea of joining with Great Britain to send a warning to the nations of Europe. In 1823, Monroe made a speech to Congress announcing a policy that became known as the Monroe doctrine. The Monroe Doctrine stated:

• Nations of North and South America were “free and Independent” • And were “not to be considered as subjects for further colonization by any

European powers” • The United States would review efforts [of colonization] by Europeans taking

over any portion of this hemisphere is dangerous to our peace and safety.

Europeans denounced Monroe‘s message as arrogant. A French newspaper reporter asked, “What right did United States presume to tell other nations of the world what they could do in North and South America?” Americans however cheered Monroe’s message. It made them proud to see the United States stand up for freedom loving people of Latin America. In the years ahead, the Monroe Doctrine joined isolationism as a basic principle of US foreign policy. The doctrine asserted that the United States would not accept European interference in American affairs. It also contained another hidden message. It’s very boldness; the Monroe Doctrine told the world that the United States was no longer a weak collection of quarreling states. It had become a strong and confident nation— a nation to be respected by the world!