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The development of American foreign policy under washington was largely guided by two events: the conflicts between the Federalists and the Republicans, and; the breakout of the French Revolution, ten weeks after Washington's Presidential inauguration.
Hamilton was President Washington's Secretary of the Treasury. Jefferson was Secretary of State. Domestic rivalry between these two and the factions they led took over foreign policy and did much to define the course of American foreign government. They disagreed on every possible aspect of domestic and foreign policy.
Alexander Hamilton was born out of wedlock to a mother and a scotsman in the West Indies. His father left when he was young, and he worked to support his family. He craved success and heroism. He went to the Americas to study medicine. Then he joined the revolution and decided to stay, becoming an artilery officer and then an Aid to general Washington. Washington chose hamilton to lead the charge at Yorktown.
He went to study law in New York. There he met James Madison and they developed the Federalist concepts. Very conservative, an admirer of constitutional monarchy.
Hamilton's goal was to build a strong nation that could enforce its will upon others. Supported a strong central government with revenues and military.
Taxation was out of the question. That was what had started the revolution in the first place. He saw foreign trade as the revenue source the country needed. Import duties and tonnage fees. That meant he suported Industrialization.
Advocated central controll over national economy (central bank, government bonds, subsidizing american manufacturers).
Since 90% of import duties came from British trade, Hamilton advocted pro-british policies, which he saw as necessary for national economic survival.
Thomas Jefferson was an idealist. He was biased in favor of the French from his time there when he was younger. He would advocate pro-French policies throughout the period.
He believed in small government and an agrarian economy.
Should America observe the alliance and come to the aid of the French against Britain? Our specific obligations were to defend the French West Indies and to defend the crown of France.
Hamilton insisted that the alliance could not be called upon for two reasons: First, it was a defensive alliance and France had instigated the Napoleonic Wars. Second, the alliance had been made with the French Monarchy, a government that no longer existed.
Jefferson supported the recognition of the French revolution. He believed that the alliance was a contract between peoples, and the change in government did not effect this alliance. He said "Every nation has a right to govern itself in a form of its own will."He beleived that treaties between nations were treaties between peoples.
The French never actually asked for American help. They wanted the American's to remain neutral as a trade partner. As long as the US remained neutral, it could trade non-contraband goods freely.
Neutrality Proclamation (April 22, 1793)
This was a very important policy and precedent. This was the beginning of a tradition of American neutrality that lasted up until World Wars I and II. They never said "neutra'" but rather "frindly and impartial toward the belligerant powers." British trade actually benefited from this.
The British were encouraging natives to declare a state in the Ohio country. A buffer state between the US and Canada. They also encouraged these same native allies to engage in conflict with Americans.
Great Lake's Posts:
British Orders in Council (June 8 and November 6, 1793)
The British declared Maritime seizures and impressment. They would seize all ships headed for France and impress their crews into British Naval service. American ships, operating under the free shipping ideal, were captured. Over 300 ships were seized, their crews impressed or imprisoned.
Designed by Hamilton. John Jay was sent to negotiate a deal, especially over the maritime seizures. John Jay had little hope, since he had no leverage and nothing to give in return. His objectives were to:
A treaty was actually signed, but was kept secret because it was so unfavorable. Approved 20 to 10 by the senate, it leaked , and the goevrnment, including washington and the Federalists, became very unpopular. The results were:
Jay's Mission was especially important in that it established a precedence of Arbitration practices for future generations.
This was one of the better examples of the formula 'Europe's Ditress=America's Advantage.' It was a negotiation between Spain and the US, and the results of the mission were completely in US favor. The Spanish were about to join the French revolutionaries in their war against the British. However, Spain suspected that Jay's Treaty of the year before had included a secret military alliance with Britain, and felt that she had to appease the US. <Many don't beleive this, saying Spain was just acknowledging American expansion while they were at war in Europe>.
The Forida Boundary
A 100 mile area of conflict. While Florida belonged to Spain, it had once belonged to the British (1760-1780), who had identified the border of Florida 100 miles south of where the Spanish placed it. The Spanish government gave the Americans the 31st parallel.
Navigation Rights of the Missisipi
Farmers living along the river needed to transport goods to the east, which meant they either had to use the difficult paths over the mountains or travel down the Missisipi.
The Spanish had closed the Missisipi in 1780, when they gained New Orleans.
The Spanish gave the Americans navigation rights of the Missisipi and the use of New Orleans.
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