The Presidency of George Washington: Foreign Affairs

Native American Relations As more settlers pushed west across the Appalachians and into the Ohio River Valley, they increasingly came into conflict with Native Americans Native Americans were NOT U.S. citizens and were not protected by American law; the settlers, however, were and the government took action to protect the interests of settlers over those of the Native American tribes

Tennessee & Kentucky Join the Union First settled by whites in the 1750s and 1760s Led to multiple conflicts with native groups Kentucky became the 15th state in 1792 Tennessee became the 16th state in 1796 (Vermont had broken away from NY in 1791 to become the 14th state)

The Western Indian Confederacy Many tribes in the Great Lakes region began working together to present a united front against further U.S. expansion into the Ohio Valley The Indian Confederacy badly defeated inexperienced U.S. troops in battles in both 1790 and 1791

A Growing Threat The Native Americans were emboldened by the British, who continued to trade guns and supplies out of Canada (and even from forts in U.S. territory which the British refused to abandon) The Native chiefs demanded that the U.S. give up its claims to the Ohio Valley and increasingly became a threat to American settlers in the region

Washington Takes Action Even though President Washington sympathized to a degree with the Native Americans’ plight, he could not tolerate attacks against American citizens who were legally settling in U.S. territory Washington ordered Henry Knox to raise an army (The Legion of the United States) to end the Indian threat

Battle of Fallen Timbers August 20, 1794, near Toledo, Ohio 3000 US troops led by General “Mad Anthony” Wayne finally defeated Indian Confederation warriors led by Shawnee Chief Blue Jacket This defeat effectively ended the Northwest Indian War

Treaty of Greenville August 2, 1795 Natives agreed to surrender most of Ohio and areas that are today Detroit and Chicago for $20,000 in goods and the creation of a permanent boundary between US and Indian territory Future settlers would, unfortunately, ignore the negotiated boundary

The British Withdraw The defeat of the Indian Confederacy and the continuing presence of the Legion of the United States in the region finally prompted the British to surrender their remaining forts located on U.S. soil in 1796 to General Wayne

The French Revolution Most Americans sympathized with French revolutionaries at first Hamilton’s Federalists turned against the revolutionaries when the Revolution became too violent Jefferson’s Democratic-Republicans continued to support the French in their fight for liberty

War between Britain and France Americans traded with both countries, so when Britain and France went to war with one another in 1793, it was a problem The U.S. was bound by the Treaty of 1778 to help defend France’s Caribbean colonies, but honoring this treaty could lead the U.S. into a war against the British

Proclamation of Neutrality April, 1793 George Washington believed the young and weak U.S. could not afford to get involved in the war between France and Britain, so he chose not to honor the Treaty of 1778 Washington declared the U.S. to be “friendly and impartial” to both countries

Problems with Britain Britain began blockading France and seized any ships trying to enter French ports Hundreds of U.S. ships and their cargoes were seized by the British as a result This angered U.S. merchants, who were taking huge financial losses

Jay’s Treaty (1795) Washington sent John Jay to negotiate with the British government The U.S. agreed that Britain had the right to seize goods bound for France; in return, Britain agreed to grant the U.S. “most favored nation” status and to allow American merchants free trade with British colonies in the Caribbean to offset the lost trade with France Democratic-Republicans were angered by treaty and felt that Jay had sold out the French

Washington’s Farewell Address Published in fall of 1796 The 64-year-old Washington explained his decision to not seek a third term as President and offered advice to the American people on what dangers they should avoid in the future to preserve the American Republic

Washington’s Advice Stay neutral in foreign affairs and avoid all “foreign entanglements” (alliances & wars) Good government is based on religion and morality, so elect only moral men to office Political parties are divisive and dangerous to national unity – avoid them at all costs