Challenging American Expansion 1789-1792
Appalachians to Mississippi River
Spain, Britain, U.S. and many Indian Nations wanted
control of region
All considered the region important
Native Americans considered the region as homeland
Southeast
Spain clamed area (today’s Alabama, Mississippi, and
Western Tennessee
Land also claimed by U.S.
Spain could not stop settlers from U.S. from moving
into the territory
Offered Spanish citizenship to win allegiance
Challenging American Expansion 1789-1792
Southeast
Congress seemed like it might consider the
permanent closing of New Orleans in return for other
Spanish concessions in other regions
Many westerners began talking openly of secession
Many only accepted gold and favors from Spanish to
pocket the profits
Andrew Jackson, 1789 – “the only immediate way to
obtain peace with the Savage” (Indians).
Challenging American Expansion 1789-1792
Southeast
Washington realized he may not be able to preserve
peace
Prepared for war, hoping for continued peace
1789 - Peace seemed more likely. Spain opened New
Orleans to American commerce.
Exports were subject to 15% duty
Succession sentiment slowly died
 Well known political figures were subject to bribery
during this period of history
Challenging American Expansion 1789-1792
Southeast
 Well known political figures were subject to bribery
during this period of history
James Wilkinson, former general on Washington’s staff
received bribes from the Spanish
Thomas Scott, congressman from western Pennsylvania
schemed with British
Hoping to strengthen loyalty to U.S., between 1791
and 1796 three new states were admitted to the union;
Vermont, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
Challenging American Expansion 1789-1792
Southeast
 Weakening Spanish Influence
Washington wanted to improve relations with Native
Americans and weaken Spain’s influence
1790 Creeks signed treaty of New York with U. S.
Permitted American settlers to remain on lands in Georgia
Piedmont fought over since 1786
Preserved Creek territory against U. S. expansion
Washington insisted that Georgia restore to the Chickasaws and
Choctaws, the area along the Mississippi River known as the
Yazoo Tract
Challenging American Expansion 1789-1792
 Britain’s Indian allies in the Ohio valley
Washington’s policy much more harsh
1790 Military force used to force peace
It failed, General Josiah Harmar was defeated on the Maumee
River by native Americans
November 1791, Disaster occurred when one thousand warriors
killed nine hundred out of fourteen hundred soldiers led by
General Arthur St. Clair
Benevolence Policy similar to the British Policy
proclaimed in 1763 (Secretary of War, Henry Knox)
Chaos in west – trespassers invaded Indian lands
Native peoples rejected U.S. claims to sovereignty
Challenging American Expansion 1789-1792
Indian Lands
Indian Non-Intercourse Act, 1790
Regulating trade
Government also wanted to “civilize” the natives
Abandon communal landownership and seasonal migrations for hunting,
gathering, and fishing. Adopting private property and an agricultural way of life,
Secretary of War Henry Knox thought that Indians
would join American society while making much
additional land available for whites.
Natives wanted European material goods, but would not
give up traditional ways
Whites were equally opposed to integrating Native
Americans into their society
Challenging American Expansion 1789-1792
Indian Lands
After being defeated twice by Native forces,
Washington’s western policy was a disaster.
1792 Spain convinced Creek nation to void Treaty of
New York with U. S.
Americans believed that only an alliance with France
could counter balance the combined strength of Spain,
Britain, and Native American forces.
France and Factional Politics, 1793
French Revolution begins 1789
Americans remained fundamentally sympathetic
to Revolution
France abolished noble privilege
Wrote a constitution
Repelled invading armies from Austria and Prussia
Became a Republic in 1793
France proclaimed a war of all peoples against
all Kings
Assumes U. S. would enlist
France and Factional Politics, 1793
French Revolution begins 1789
Southern Slave owners support revolution
1793 slave uprising in Saint Domingue became a
revolution against French rule
Many fled to U. S.
British invaders had supported uprising
Blacks had been inspired by the U. S. and French Rev.
Remembering the courting of slaves by British during
Am. Rev. southern whites believed British had
intentionally started the blood bath and would do the
same in the South
Federalist loyalty even dissipated due to anti-British
feelings in S. Carolina
France and Factional Politics, 1793
French Revolution begins 1789
Northerners repelled by the blood shed
Protestant New England detested the French
government’s punishing its opponents and its
substituting the adoration of Reason for the worship of
God
Mid-Atlantic Federalists condemned French leaders as
evil radicals
Incited the poor against the rich
France and Factional Politics, 1793
French Revolution begins 1789
Northern and Southern Reaction to French
Revolution
Economic Reasons
North – almost all of the nation’s foreign trade was
with Great Britain
Merchants, shippers, and sailors in New England,
Philadelphia, and New York feared an alliance with France
would provoke British retaliation against this valuable
commerce
Southerners viewed Americans’ reliance on British
commerce as a menace to national self-determination
and wished to divert most U. S. trade to France
France and Factional Politics, 1793
French Revolution begins 1789
Northern and Southern Reaction to French
Revolution
Jefferson and Madison demanded British
imports be reduced
Steep discriminatory duties on cargoes shipped from
England and Scotland in British vessels.
Federalist opponents warned that Britain would not
stand by while a weak French ally pushed it into
depression.
Hamilton (1792) – If congress adopts this
program “there will be in less than six months, an
open war between the U. S. and G. B.”
France and Factional Politics, 1793
French Revolution begins 1789
Southern and Western support for France grows
after France goes to war with Spain and Great
Britain in 1793
French victory might lead to a cease in blocking of
U. S. Expansion by Great Britain and Spain
U. S. could gain free navigation of the Mississippi
Force the evacuation of the British garrisons,
End both nations’ support of Indian resistance
France and Factional Politics, 1793
French Revolution begins 1789
Declaration of war from France in 1793 against
Great Britain
French sent Edmond Genet as minister to the United
States
Ordered to mobilize republican sentiment in support
of France
Enlist American mercenaries to conquer Spanish
territories and attack British shipping
Strengthen the alliance between the two nations
Pres. Washington issued a proclamation of
American neutrality on April 22
France and Factional Politics, 1793
French Revolution begins 1789
Citizen Genet arrived April 8
Found many southern volunteers for his American
Foreign Legion (despite declared neutrality)
General George Rogers Clark of Kentucky
General Elisha Clarke of Georgia
Both ordered to seize Spanish garrisons at New
Orleans and St. Augustine
French failed to send funds for either campaign
(soldiers were not willing to fight for free)
France and Factional Politics, 1793
French Revolution begins 1789
Citizen Genet arrived April 8
Genet did not need funds for Privateers
Captured plunder for themselves
Summer of 1793 almost a thousand Americans
were at sea in a dozen ships flying the French flag
These privateers seized more than eighty British
vessels and towed them to U. S. ports
French consuls sold the ships and cargoes at
auction
France and Factional Politics, 1793
Avoiding War, 1793-1796
Washington’s administration closed the
nation’s harbors to Genet’s buccaneers
Also requested the recall of French Ambassador
George III on November 6, 1793, with the Privy
Council issued secret orders confiscating any
foreign ships trading with French islands in the
Caribbean.
Purposefully delayed the announcement of orders
so that American ships would already be at sea and
not know that they were sailing into a war zone.
Royal Navy seized more than 250 American
vessels.
France and Factional Politics, 1793
Avoiding War, 1793-1798
Impressment – forced enlistment of crewmen
on U. S. ships.
Commanders sometimes broke royal orders
by taking U. S. citizens
British did not recognize former subjects’
right to adopt American citizenship
Impressment was a test for the new
government. Would it defend its citizens from
abuse?
France and Factional Politics, 1793
Avoiding War, 1793-1796
Fort Miami
During a large intertribal council in February 1794,a
speech was given by Canada’s Royal Governor
denying U. S. claims north of the Ohio River
British troops were building an eight garrison on
U. S. soil, Fort Miami. (near present day Toledo)
Spain built Fort San Fernando in 1794 near what is
now Memphis, Tennessee.
France and Factional Politics, 1793
Avoiding War, 1798-1796
Washington’s 3 Initiatives to halt war in 1794
He authorized General Anthony Wayne to negotiate
a treaty with the Shawnees and their Ohio valley
allies
Sent Chief Justice John Jay to Great Britain
Dispatched Thomas Pinckney to Spain
France and Factional Politics, 1793
Avoiding War, 1798-1796
Washington’s 3 Initiatives to halt war in 1794
1. Response to offer for peace treaty
Indians scoffed at Washington’s offer (had previously
defeated the U. S. troops)
“Mad Anthony” Wayne led 3,500 U. S. troops deep into
Shawnee homeland
Built Forts
Burned every village within his reach
August 20, 1794 Wayne’s troops defeated four hundred
Shawnees at the Battle of Fallen Timbers just two miles
from British Fort Miami.
Wayne’s troops then built Fort Defiance
Indian morale plummeted
France and Factional Politics, 1793
Avoiding War, 1798-1796
Washington’s 3 Initiatives to halt war in 1794
1. Response to offer for peace treaty
August 1795 Shawnee and eleven other tribes signed the
Treaty of Greenville with Wayne
Opened modern day Ohio and a portion of Indiana to
white settlement and ended U. S. – Indian hostilities in
the region for 16 years
Tecumseh knew the battle for land was not over
France and Factional Politics, 1793
Avoiding War, 1798-1796
Washington’s 3 Initiatives to halt war in 1794
2. John Jay’s Treaty
John Jay was able to win a British promise to
withdraw troops from American soil. (Wayne’s
victories helped)
Gained access to West Indian markets for small
American ships
Lost U. S. rights to load cargoes of sugar,
molasses, and coffee from French colonies during
wartime.
Few felt treaty preserved peace with honor
France and Factional Politics, 1793
Avoiding War, 1798-1796
Washington’s 3 Initiatives to halt war in 1794
2. John Jay’s Treaty
Left Britain free to violate American neutrality
Left Britain free to ruin a profitable commerce by
restricting U.S. trade with France
Did not end impressment
Slave owners had wanted compensation for slaves
taken during the Revolution
1795 Treaty Ratified by just 1 vote
France and Factional Politics, 1793
Avoiding War, 1798-1796
Washington’s 3 Initiatives to halt war in 1794
2. John Jay’s Treaty
Treaty prevented war from being inevitable
Ended Britain’s post-Revolutionary occupation of
U.S. territory.
Expanded American trade (British governors in the
West Indies open their harbors to U.S. ships)
Commercial ties with India were opened (infringed
on East India company monopoly)
Soon after 1795, American exports to the British
Empire increased 300%
France and Factional Politics, 1793
Avoiding War, 1798-1796
Washington’s 3 Initiatives to halt war in 1794
3.Treaty of San Lorenzo with Spain or Pinckney’s
Treaty, ratified 1796
Won unrestricted rights to world market
Duty-free access to world markets via the Mississippi
Spain promised to recognize the 31st parallel as the U.S.
southern boundary
Spain would dismantle all fortifications on American soil,
Discourage Indian attacks against western settlers
France and Factional Politics, 1793
Avoiding War, 1798-1796
Washington’s 3 Initiatives to halt war in 1794
By 1796 Washington admin. Could claim extension
of American authority throughout the transAppalachian West
Opened the Mississippi for western exports
Enabled Northeastern shippers to regain British
markets,
Kept the nation out of a dangerous European war
Jay’s Treaty shown a light on division in nation’s
foreign policy (more divided in 1789 than in 1796).