Unit 3: Topic 10 - Shaping a New Republic Flashcards
What was Pinckney’s Treaty?
Also known as the Treaty of San Lorenzo, Pinckney’s Treaty with Spain was a big victory for U.S. foreign policy. In the agreement, the United States gained the right to use the Mississippi River, the right to deposit goods in the port of New Orleans, and it established the boundary between the U.S. and the Spanish territory in Florida.
Why was Jay’s Treaty (1794), which was barely approved by the Senate, considered controversial?
John Jay was sent to make a treaty with the British to stop impressment, which was their practice of kidnapping American sailors and forcing them to work for the British.
When Jay returned to the U.S. with a treaty, it was instead an agreement to get the British to abandon their forts on the Western frontier, which they had already agreed to do after the Revolutionary War. The new treaty said nothing about impressment and irritated the pro-French Democratic Republicans.
What was the Proclamation of Neutrality in 1793?
In the wake of the French Revolutionary Wars between France and Britain, George Washington issued the Proclamation of Neutrality in 1793, guaranteeing that the United States would stay out of the war and not take anyone’s side. This was a risky decision, since France had been the United States’s major ally during the Revolutionary War.
Who was Citizen Genêt?
Edmond-Charles Genêt, commonly referred to as Citizen Genêt, was the French ambassador to the United States during George Washington’s presidency. He violated diplomatic protocols by directly requesting the American public to support the French Revolution in spite of Washington’s declaration of neutrality. In addition, he organized a team of Americans to serve as privateers (pirates) and attack British shipping vessels.
Washington eventually had to ask the French to recall Genêt.
Describe the XYZ Affair.
Similar to the British, the French were impressing American sailors and forcing them to work for the French navy. When President John Adams sent diplomats to France to negotiate with French Foreign minister Charles Talleyrand, three French ministers simply known as “X”, “Y”, and “Z” demanded bribes just for the talks to begin.
American diplomats refused to pay and the public was outraged. A popular slogan arose, “millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute!”
What was the “Quasi War”, from 1798 to 1800?
The Quasi War was a limited undeclared naval war between the U.S. and France. It was in response to the continued impressment of American sailors and the XYZ affair.
How did agreements between the U.S. and the British influence relations with Spain?
As the United States made agreements with the British (such as Jay’s Treaty), the Spanish became concerned that the two countries were becoming too close. As a result, Spain expanded their mission settlements in California and were open to making friendly agreements with the United States (such as Pinckney’s Treaty).
What were the Alien and Sedition Acts (1798)?
The Alien and Sedition Acts were a controversial series of laws passed by the Federalist Party in Congress and John Adams. They restricted immigrants and reduced freedom of speech and press, making it a crime to criticize the government. Because this was before the Supreme Court case Marbury v. Madison (1803), these laws were not struck down through judicial review.
What were the Virginia and Kentucky resolutions?
The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions were responses to the Alien and Sedition Acts in 1798. They declared the acts unconstitutional and claimed that they were null and void. The resolutions were written in secret by Democratic-Republicans (and future presidents) Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.
Describe Hamilton and Jefferson’s debates about the establishment of a National Bank.
Hamilton and the Federalists believed the bank would help the economy while facilitating payment of taxes. They claimed that the bank was allowed under a loose interpretation of the “necessary and proper” clause of the Constitution, which enables Congress to do what is needed for government to work.
Jefferson and the Democratic-Republicans believed the bank would unfairly favor manufacturing over agriculture. They claimed that the bank was unconstitutional, because it gave too much power to the federal government and was not specifically one of the “enumerated powers” granted in the Constitution.
The Federalists would win the debate and the National Bank was created with a 20 year charter.
What positions did Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson take while in George Washington’s cabinet?
Alexander Hamilton (Federalist) Secretary of Treasury
-a strong central government
-a National Bank
-high tariffs
-support of business
-pro-British
Thomas Jefferson (Democratic-Republican) Secretary of State
-a limited central government
-lower tariffs
-support of agriculture
-pro-French Revolution
How did Alexander Hamilton hope to fix the economy during his time as Secretary of the Treasury?
Hamilton made three proposals to help the economy
-a National Bank
-the federal government paying the debts of the states from the Revolutionary War
-high tariffs on imports to protect factories in the North from British competition
Thomas Jefferson and those opposed to this plan were concerned that it would increase federal power and benefit rich factory owners at the expense of poor farmers
Describe the context of and reaction to the Whiskey Rebellion.
In order to raise money to repay the debt after the American Revolution, Alexander Hamilton proposed a tax on whiskey in 1791. However, for farmers in rural areas, the sale of whiskey was a major source of profit. A rebellion of about 500 men burned down a tax collector’s house in Pennsylvania. Following this, President George Washington led a force of 13000 troops to put down the rebellion.
The reaction to the Whiskey Rebellion affirmed the power of the federal government to enforce its laws, in contrast to the government under the Articles of Confederation and the weak response to Shays’ Rebellion.
Describe the influence of George Washington’s Farewell Address.
After setting a two term precedent for U.S. presidents by retiring, Washington famously warned against forming political parties and becoming overly involved in European affairs. He worried that “permanent alliances” with European powers would drag the United States into unneccesary international conflicts.
