Launching the New Republic
Chapter 7 part II
What issues faced U.S. from 1793 – 1800?
• Foreign Affairs
– Naval problems w/ Britain and France
– Native Americans
• Political parties & divisive politics
– Federalists vs. Republicans
– Elections of 1796 and 1800
• Constitutional problems
• Social changes for women & non-whites
Foreign Affairs
• Problems w/ Britain
– Impressment – to discourage US from helping France
– British aid to Indians in Ohio Valley region
• Solutions
– Jay’s Treaty
• Withdraw British troops from US soil
• US gains trade access to markets in British West
Indies
• US gives up trade access to French colonies
during war
Foreign Affairs
• Jay’s Treaty – effects on US
– Economic
• Stimulated US trade – w/ Britain and colonies in
West Indies and India
– Political
• Avoided war w/ Britain
• Increased divisions between Federalists and
Republicans
Foreign Affairs
• Problems w/ Native Americans
– Shawnees & allies challenging U.S. hegemony over Ohio Valley
region
• Solutions
– Attempted treaty w/ Shawnee Indians & allies -- rejected by
Shawnees
– Military action – Shawnees defeated at Fallen Timbers by Gen.
Mad Anthony Wayne
– Treaty of Greenville – opened Ohio & Indiana to white settlement
Foreign affairs
• Problems w/ Spain
– Spain aiding Indian resistance on frontiers
• Solution?
– Pinckney’s Treaty
• Unrestricted, tax-free access to trade via
Mississippi River
• Spain takes down all forts in America
• Spain recognizes 31st parallel as US southern
boundary
• Spain will discourage Indian attacks
Foreign Affairs
• Problems w/ France
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France angry over Jay’s Treaty
Seizure of US ships
XYZ Affair
Quasi-War – naval war in Caribbean
France encouraging rebellious thought in US
• Solutions?
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Army increased
US gets naval aid from Britain – protects trade
Wins Quasi-War
Alien & Sedition Acts
Constitutional Crisis
• Alien & Sedition Acts – terms?
– 1. est. procedures for dealing
w/ possible foreign spies
or saboteurs
– 2. Pres. can deport “dangerous”
foreigners w/ no proof of guilt
– 3. residency req. for voting
raised from 5 to 14 yrs
– 4. Sedition Act – illegal to
speak/write/print ideas
critical of Pres. or gov’t
Alien & Sedition Acts
• Purpose?
– Proposed, passed by Federalists (J. Adams Pres.,
Feds. Controlled Congress)
– Discourage pro-French thought in US
– Residency measure aimed to reduce Irish immigrant
vote (usually voted for Republicans)
– Stop Republicans from criticizing Federalists (law set
to expire in 1801 in case Republicans won in 1800)
Alien & Sedition Acts
• Response?
– Militias in VA and KY sign petitions against acts
– Jefferson and Madison draft Resolutions against Acts
– Jefferson writes Kentucky Resolution, Madison writes
Virginia Resolution
• Arguments of VA and KY Resolutions?
– States have rights to determine if federal laws are
unconstitutional
– Jefferson introduces nullification – right of a state to
“nullify” any federal law deemed unconstitutional
Party Politics
• How did Party politics affects Adams admin. (17961800)?
– VP (Jefferson) from different Party
• What did parties disagree over?
– Basic human nature
– Who should govern
– Interpretation of
constitution
– Ideal economy
– Centralized gov’t
Press and Politics
• Role of Press?
– Newspapers partisan – owned by party
supporters
– Mudslinging:
• Federalists accused of being Pro-British, elitist,
wanting a hereditary aristocracy
• Republicans accused of being pro-French, radical,
“mob” mentality, rabble rousing, atheist
Social Changes
• Changes for Women?
– Fewer arranged marriages (free choice)
– Women had fewer children
• Avg # of kids in NE down from 9 to 6
– Sexual double standard scrutinized (but not
eliminated)
– Divorce rates up
– Subordinate status questioned (but not
remedied)
– Educational opportunities expanded
Social Changes
• Changes for African-Americans?
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Progress stalled, gains erased
Free blacks stripped of vote in some places
Enlistment in military banned
Fed. Gov’t restricted citizenship to whites
Churches segregated services for free blacks
African Methodist Episcopal Church est.
• Native Americans?
– Many turned to alcoholism
– Indian movement to combat alcoholism incl. adopting
Christianity
– Others went back to more traditional Indian culture,
hatred of white culture