Presidents and Foreign Policy Washington, Adams, Jefferson

French Revolution Shortly after the French help the colonies in a fight for independence, the French people decide they want independence, too. This fight for independence is far different from the Revolutionary War. Background on French Revolution…

An estimated 65,000 soldiers and sailors died in the American Revolutionary War An estimated 40,000 French citizens died during the two-year reign of Terror during the French Revolution If you include the Napoleonic Wars, easily over 1,000,000 people died in the French Revolution

Genet Affair Edward Charles Genet-Sent by Giordins to negotiate with US, overstepping neutrality Commissions and agreement in South Carolina with governor Moultrie to encourage privateering of British ships Congress debates on what to do with him- Genet ignores government policies Negotiate a way to send him home, power changes in France keeps him in US

Relations with Europe The French Revolution starts shortly after GW becomes President Radicals in France kill the King and Queen, declare a revolution and declare war on Great Britain US trades with both countries GW tries to maintain peace by declaring the US is, “Friendly and Impartial to both countries”

Things still get tense British navy starts seizing neutral ships headed to French ports, including US ships Rumors state British soldiers still in Northwest Territory are encouraging the Native Americans to attack the United States Something needs to be done GW sends John Jay to Great Britain to create a treaty and prevent a war

Jay’s Treaty Great Britain knows the new nation is not ready for a full fledged war with the British superpower, they drive a hard bargain Great Britain still seizes US ships headed to France Great Britain will not reimburse US merchants who lost care to Great Britain but agree to arbitration (3 rd party) US gets “most favored nation” status in trade with Great Britain US gets rid of some of the British soldiers still in the Northwest Territory and opens ports

Reaction to Jay’s Treaty Senators think this treaty is awful, US gives up more than it gets Senators still agree to sign this bill into law so they can avoid a war with Great Britain, try to keep it quiet (10 to 20 vote) The American people find out about this treaty and are very unhappy, especially the Republicans (Jefferson)

Pinckney’s Treaty Thomas Pinckney from South Carolina Spain joins France and Great Britain in war but Spain wants to keep peace with the US Spain approaches the US about making a treaty-NEUTRALITY (seeing a pattern?) Spain gives US access to Mississippi River and New Orleans, helping to soothe Western farmers

Moving West By 1790, Western Settlements are expanding faster than any other part of US People in Northwest Territory experience trouble with the Native Americans, especially this guy…

Native American chief Little Turtle forms Western Confederation of Native American groups Little Turtle beats US troops in two embarrassing losses ( ) Washington sends massive amounts of troops, finally defeats Little Turtle (1794) at Battle of Fallen Timbers

Greenville Treaty 12 of the Native American groups from the Confederation sign the Greenville Treaty with the US Native Americans agree to give up their land for $10,000 annually from the federal government Settlers now feel safer to settle here

Washington’s Farewell Address Washington wrote a letter, addressed to the people of the United States, announcing he would not run again Two main ideas – Stay away from Political Parties – Don’t get involved in the politics of other nations

Goodbye George

Election of 1796 Federalist Candidate: John Adams Republican Candidate: Thomas Jefferson Electoral College-How do you decide? John Adams Wins!! Problems?

Who is John Adams? Federalist party member Delegate from Mass. for CC European diplomat Vice President to Washington Married to Abigail Adams-intellectual woman who fought for women’s right Son=6 th President JQA Vigorous foreign policy

Quasi War with France French are upset by Jay’s Treaty, start seizing US ships headed to Great Britain Federalists call for war with France John Marshall, Charles Pinckney, and Elbridge Gerry go to France to negotiate in 1797 They run into French Agents X, Y, an Z

XYZ Affair Marshall, Pinckney, and Gerry go all the way to France to try to make a treaty French Secret Agents (called X, Y, and Z) tell the US they must pay a bribe before negotiations can begin America gets mad, starts the Quasi- War with France

Quasi War In 1798, the United States starts a “Quasi-War” with France This war is not recognized as an official war and is only fought on the seas, thus Quasi-War Convention of 1800: Quasi-War ends in 1800, the US gives up claims for reparations, France releases US from Treaty of 1778

Alien and Sedition Acts The Quasi War causes domestic conflict Federalists got US involved in the Quasi War Republicans very harsh about Quasi War John Adams resents the statements Republican newspapers make about him Pass 4 laws dealing with foreign policy- arguments over what the purpose was

Alien and Sedition Act 1. Naturalization: Immigrants must wait 14 years to become citizens (they usually voted Republican) 2. Alien Friends Act: Any immigrant could be deported without trial if deemed “dangerous to the peace” to the United States 3. Alien Enemies Act: Same as Friends Act except for males 14+ years from a hostile nation during a time of war 4.Sedition Act (tried to keep people from inciting rebellion) it is a federal crime to publish anything “false, scandalous, or malicious” about gov’t

Is this Constitutional???? WHY OR WHY NOT?

VA and KY say NO! In response to Alien and Sedition Act, the Republican controlled legislatures of Virginia and Kentucky protest Both states argue the A&S Act to be UNCONSTITUTIONAL Madison and Virginia: public should oppose, universal alarm Jefferson and Kentucky: states should be able to nullify unconstitutional fed. laws

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions Virginia Resolutions argue interposition—The States can place themselves between the people and the federal government to stop an illegal action of the government Kentucky Resolutions argue nullification—The states can declare an unconstitutional federal law to by invalid These aren’t important now, will be later

End Result? Alien and Sedition Acts cause the election of Jefferson as next President Alien FRIENDS act expires 1801, Sedition Act expires 1800 Alien ENEMY act is kept…used during WWII for Japanese Internment camps Adams retires to his home; Jeffersonian era begins