Chapter 6 - Section 2
Foreign Affairs Trouble the Nation
Main Idea – Events in Europe sharply divided public opinion in America, which
strengthened the first party system (Federalists vs. Republicans) in the 1790s.
U.S. Response to Events in Europe
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French Revolution – resulted in a war between France and Great Britain
o Republicans – pro-French
o Federalists – pro-British
o President Washington – Neutrality Act of 1793 – stated that the U.S.
would not join either side in the war
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Great Britain – still controlled several forts in the American Northwest
o Jay’s Treaty (1794) – Britain agreed to remove troops from U.S. soil, but
were allowed to maintain fur trading ties with Native Americans on U.S.
soil
 Angered Republicans, especially western farmers
Spain – controlled Florida and land west of the Mississippi River and New
Orleans
o Pinckney’s Treaty (1795) – U.S. got access to the port of New Orleans
 Important for shipping agricultural goods on the Mississippi River
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Washington’s “Farewell Address” – Washington’s advise to the nation after
deciding not to seek a 3rd term as president
o Argued that political parties were dangerous to the U.S.
o Argued that U.S. should avoid “entangling” alliances with foreign nations
President John Adams Provokes Criticism
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Election of 1796 – John Adams (Federalist) vs. Thomas Jefferson (Republican)
o John Adams won, which left Jefferson as Vice-President
o Adams won the North, Jefferson won the South = sectionalism – def. –
placing interests of one region over those of the nation as a whole
XYZ Affair (1798) – French diplomats demanded a bribe from US ambassadors
o SIG – resulted in an undeclared naval war with France
The Alien and Sedition Acts (1798) – laws passed by Federalist Congress
o Alien Acts – increased the time it took to become a citizen, which hurt the
growing Republican Party
o Sedition Act – set fines and jail time for people disparaging the
government
 Resulted in jail time for several Republican printers and newspaper
editors
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Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions (1798) – Jefferson and Madison’s reaction
to the Alien and Sedition Acts
o Claimed Alien and Sedition Acts violated 1st Amendment rights
o Argued in favor of Nullification – def - states could declare an act of
congress unconstitutional