U.S. History

Chapter 10: Launching the New Nation

Section 3: Troubles Abroad

The French Revolution

• July 14, 1789: French Revolution begins with the Storming of the Bastille

The French Revolution

• Monarchy overthrown & republic established

The French Revolution

• American Reaction

– Support among those who believed France was establishing a democratic republic

– Displeasure among those worried about riots & violence

U.S. Neutrality

•France & Britain go to war

•Americans divided

U.S. Neutrality

•Neutrality Proclamation—stated that the U.S. should remain neutral in all European conflicts

Citizen Genet

• Edmond Genet sent as France’s representative to America

• Traveled across country seeking support for France

Edmond Genet

Citizen Genet

•Privateers—private ships authorized by a nation to attack its enemies

•Washington warns Genet his actions threaten U.S. neutrality

Citizen Genet

•Genet says he will seek to have Washington overruled

•Pro-French Thomas Jefferson agrees Genet should be sent home

Jay’s Treaty

•Threats to American neutrality:

–1793: Britain seizes US ships carrying food from the French West Indies

–Captured merchant ships

Jay’s Treaty

•Threats to American neutrality:

–Rumors about British officers encouraging Indian uprisings

–Britain never abandoned frontier forts

Jay’s Treaty

•John Jay: Chief Justice sent to London to negotiate an agreement to avoid war

John Jay

Jay’s Treaty

•Jay’s Treaty—made to avoid a war between Britain and the United States

Jay’s Treaty

• British Concessions

– Pay for damages to seized American ships

– Small American ships allowed to trade in Caribbean

– Abandon frontier forts

Jay’s Treaty

• Unresolved issues:

– Nothing noted about large ships

– Native American issue unaddressed

– Slaves freed during Revolutionary War not returned

Jay’s Treaty

•Despite dislikes, Washington urges approval of treaty

John Jay being burned “in effigy”

Pinckney’s Treaty

•Border between U.S. and Spanish Florida disputed

•Spain closes port of New Orleans to U.S. trade

Pinckney’s Treaty

•Thomas Pinckney sent to resolve dispute

Pinckney’s Treaty

•Pinckney's requests

–Reopen New Orleans to U.S. trade

–Right of deposit at New Orleans

Pinckney’s Treaty

• Negotiations

– Spain delays hoping U.S. will become desperate

– Spain begins to worry U.S. & Britain will join forces against Spain

Pinckney’s Treaty

• The Treaty

– Span agrees to change Florida border

– Port of New Orleans reopened

– Right of deposit acquired