Creating a Foreign Policy
Section 2 Chapter 9
Start of a New Revolution…
 1789:
 French Ship arrive in the
U.S.
 July 14:
 Paris.
 Bastille was destroyed.
 Start of the French Rev.
 Louis XVI:
 Peasants/Middle Class
heavily taxed.
 Nobles paid none.
American Support.
 Big support at 1st.
 France was their 1st Ally.
 Knew the fight for liberty.
 Marquis de Lafayette:
 French Reformer who
fought during the Amer.
Rev.
 Loved by many Americans.
 1793:
 French Rev gets to violent.
 Radical reformers gain
control.
 Reign of Terror:
 Tens of thousands of
French citizens were
executed.
 King and Queen beheaded.
 Guillotine: Death Machine.
Division amongst Americans…
 Thomas Jefferson:
 Continued to
support their
cause.
 Violence may be
needed to win
freedom.
 Condemned the
executions of the
King and Queen.
 Hamilton/Adams:
 Opposed the way the Fr.
were doing things.
 “One cold no more
create democracy
through widespread
violence, than a
snowball can exist in
the streets of
Philadelphia under a
burning sun”.
 John Adams.
Foreign Policy…
 F.P: The Actions that a
nation takes in relations
to other nations.
 Difficult Decision:
 Stay Neutral: Not taking
sides in a conflict.
 Treaty: France was our ally.
 Wanted to use ports to
supply ships & launch attacks
on the British.
 How can we honor treaty
with Fr. and remain neutral
during the European conflict?
Divisions in the Cabinet…
 Issue of the Treaty:
 Hamilton:
 Treaty was with King Louis
XVI.
 No longer valid: Dead.
 Jefferson: (Fr. Supporter)
 Urged strict acceptance of
the treaty.
 Result:
 Neutrality Proclamation:
 April 1793: Would not
support either side in the
war.
 Forbade Americans from
aiding either Br. or Fr.
 1793:
 Br. Captured over 250 American
ships trading in the French West
Indies.
 War? Were we strong enough?
 Chief Justice John Jay:
 Sent to Br. to negotiate.
 Result: (1795 approved)
 Br. Pay damages for the ships
they seized.
 Br. gave up forts they held in
the West.
 Amer. had to pay debts long
owed to Br. Merchants.
Goodbye to the 1st…
 Washington Retires:
 1796:
 Farwell Address:
 Advised Americans against
becoming involved in
European Affairs.
 Did not oppose foreign trade.
 Rejected alliances that could
drag the country into war.
 His advice guided the Amer.
Foreign Policy for many
years.
Checking for Understanding…
 What is Foreign Policy?
 What did the Neutrality
Proclamation act of 1793
do?
 Who was John Jay and
the Jay Treaty?
 The actions that a nation
takes in relation to other
nation.
 It stated that the U.S. would
remain neutral and support
neither France or Great
Britain in their war, and
forbade Americans from
aiding either side.
 Chief Justice who was sent to
Gr. Britain to negotiate over
the British capturing
American merchant ships.