Chapter 7, Section 3

Challenges for the New Nation

Remaining Neutral

• Tensions escalated between France and Great Britain after the people of France rebelled against their king

• July 14, 1789– Citizens of Paris stormed and captured the

Bastille • The Bastille was a hated fortress and prison that

stood as a mighty symbol of royal power – One of the first acts of the French Revolution

» A rebellion of French people against their king in 1789

Remaining Neutral

• The French were inspired by the American Revolution and in turn, many Americans openly supported the French Revolution – Believed that France was creating the same kind of

democracy as the United States• The French Revolution was very bloody and

violent– King Louis XVI and Queen Marie-Antoinette were

beheaded by French citizens• A few years after the beginning of the French

Revolution, France and Great Britain went to war– Some Americans supported France, some supported

Great Britain, and some remained neutral

The Neutrality Proclamation

• The issue of neutrality divided Congress and George Washington’s Cabinet

• Neutrality Proclamation– April 22, 1793– Presented to Congress by George Washington– Stated that the United States would not take sides

with any European nations that were at war– George Washington believed that his plan was the

safest

The Neutrality Proclamation

• Not everyone agreed with George Washington– Thomas Jefferson was in favoring of

supporting the French in their Revolution– James Madison believed that Washington had

gone beyond his authority to make such a proclamation without first gaining approval from Congress

The French Question

• Edmond Genet– France’s Representative to the United States– Asked American sailors to help by commanding

privateers• Private ships hired by a country to attack enemies

• George Washington told Edmond Genet that American privateers violated his Neutrality Proclamation– Even Thomas Jefferson who supported the French

Revolution agreed that privateers were a bad idea

The French Question• Thomas Jefferson was upset by United States foreign

policy towards France– Believed that the United States should support the French

Revolution because France supported the American Revolution

• Alexander Hamilton supported the British side of the war– Hamilton wanted to strengthen ties with Great Britain

because of his trade aspirations• Thomas Jefferson felt that Alexander Hamilton had too

much political influence in foreign policy and that Hamilton interfered with his position as Secretary of State– Thomas Jefferson resigned from George Washington’s

cabinet in 1793

Jay’s Treaty

• Other threats to United States Neutrality– British seizing ships carrying food to the

French West Indies• Neutral American merchant ships

– British supporting Native American efforts to push back American settlers on the frontier

• To prevent another war with Great Britain, George Washington sent Chief Justice John Jay to London to work out a compromise

Jay’s Treaty

• British were aware of 2 things:– America lacked a strong military– American business relied heavily on trade with Great

Britain• In the end, Great Britain did not want another

war with the United States• Jay’s Treaty

– November 1794– Settle disputes between the United States and Great

Britain– British would pay damages on seized American ships– British would abandon forts on the American frontier– United States would pay debts owed to Great Britain

Jay’s Treaty

• Unpopular Treaty– Violent Protests– Citizens/leaders felt that the treaty hurt trade and did

not punish Great Britain for its actions against the United States

– Southerners especially angry• Wanted Great Britain to repay the South for the slaves they

set free during the American Revolution

• Washington did not like the treaty, but felt it was the most that could be done

Pinckney’s Treaty• American Business Problems

– Disputes with Spain about the border between the United States and Florida

– Spain closed the Port of New Orleans to the United States in 1784

• Hurt American economy because all goods moving down the Mississippi to places in the East or overseas had to pass through New Orleans

• George Washington asked Ambassador Thomas Pinckney to meet with Spanish officials and discuss the problem– Asked Spain to reopen New Orleans– Asked for the right of deposit in New Orleans

• This would allow American boats to transfer good in New Orleans without paying cargo fees

Pinckney’s Treaty

• Manuel de Godoy– Attempted to delay reaching an agreement

hoping the Thomas Pinckney would become desperate for a solution and sign a treaty in favor of the Spanish

– Worried that the United States and Great Britain would join forces against Spain after the signing of Jay’s Treaty

• Pinckney remained patient and his patience was rewarded

Pinckney’s Treaty

• October 1795– Pinckney’s Treaty

• Settled border and trade disputes with Spain– Spain to recognize the United States southern boundary

as 31ºN latitude– New Orleans reopened– Granted the right of deposit

• Opened the frontier to western expansion-considered a success

Pinckney’s Treaty

Conflict in the Northwest Territory

• Americans continued to settle in the Northwest Territory despite Native Americans’ protests

• British traders supplied Native Americans with guns

Conflict in the Northwest Territory

• 1790 Native American alliance under Miami chief Little Turtle defeated United States forces under General Josiah Harmar

• 1791 Native Americans defeated United States forces under General Arthur St. Clair

General Wayne Takes Command

• 1792– President George Washington gave command of the

army in the West to General Anthony Wayne• Given the task to bring troops to the frontier to fight against

the Native Americans

• 1793– Wayne’s forces arrived in Ohio

• Many ill with small pox and influenza and were unable to fight well

• General Anthony Wayne moved his troops north and constructed Fort Greenville

General Wayne Takes Command

• In summer 1794, Native Americans led attacks on American supply routes near the fort– Wayne responded by attacking Native

American towns and burning crops

• Native Americans were no longer supported by the British– Chief Little Turtle realized that he was

outmatched and urged his people to seek peace

The End of the Conflict

• The Battle of Fallen Timbers– Native Americans were defeated by General Anthony Wayne’s

troops• Battle was named for an area where a tornado destroyed many

trees

– Wayne’s forces burned Native American villages and crops• Strength of the Native American alliance was broken

• Treaty of Greenville– August 1795– Granted United States claim to most of the land in the Northwest

Territory– Guaranteed safety of United States citizens living in the area– Native Americans given $200,000 in goods and an

acknowledgement of their claim to the lands they still held

The Whiskey Rebellion

• Whiskey Tax– Passed by Congress in March of 1791– Part of Alexander Hamilton’s economic plan to

help pay the national debt– Tested the power of the federal government to

control states’ actions

Reaction in the West

• Resentment towards the tax– Already angry with the federal government

• Didn’t believe that the government protected settlers from Native American attacks

• Felt that the federal government did not allow settlers enough opportunities for trade

– Farmers’ corn crops were often distilled in whiskey which was easier to transport than corn

• Because cash was rare, whiskey became like money in the region

– Farmers believed the tax was aimed specifically at them

Reaction in the West

• Farmers argued that they could not afford the tax– Believed they should be able to keep the money they

earned from a product they made themselves

• In 1792, among protests, President George Washington issued a proclamation saying the people had to obey the tax

• Westerners also upset that legal cases were tried in district courts, which were usually very far away from their homes, creating an inconvenience

Whiskey Rebellion is Crushed

• By 1794, fighting broke out in Pennsylvania• Whiskey Rebellion

– Farmers lashed out at the whiskey tax– Protestors refused to pay the tax

• Some even tarred and feathered tax collectors• Called themselves the new Sons of Liberty

• President George Washington feared that the rebellion threatened the authority of the federal government– Felt he needed to make the people understand that

the Constitution gave Congress the right to pass and enforce the tax

Whiskey Rebellion is Crushed

• President George Washington personally led the army into military action against the rebellion– The first and only time in history that an

American President has done so

• President Washington’s forces (about 13,000) marched into western Pennsylvania in November of 1794– By this time, most of the rebels had fled and

the Whiskey Rebellion ended without a battle

Washington says Farewell

• President George Washington decided not to run for a third presidential term– “Tired of public life”– Wanted to remind

Americans that the people were the country’s true leaders

Washington says Farewell• President George Washington wrote his

farewell address with the help of Alexander Hamilton and James Madison– Spoke of what he believed to be the greatest

dangers to the new republic• Foreign Ties

– Warned against forming permanent ties to foreign nations

• Political Party conflicts– Warned that internal conflicts could weaken the new government

– Stated that political unity was the key to success• Left office warning the nation to work out differences and

protect independence