The Neutrality Proclamation

                                    The Neutrality Proclamation

         Background:

         The beginning of the French Revolution occurred during Washington’s first term as President. By, 1793, the continent of Europe was engulfed in war, pitting England, Prussia, Austria, and Spain against the new French Republic.  Washington’s Cabinet was split on what to do.

         Decision:

          President Washington sought to win respectability from foreign powers, but wanted the United States to stay free of foreign entanglements so that the country could prosper.  In his Proclamation of Neutrality, Washington outlined America’s foreign policy and vowed that the United States would “pursue a conduct friendly and impartial toward the belligerent powers.” Washington also included a warning to all American citizens that if they were caught violating the Proclamation the United States government would prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.  The President also promised that if an American citizen was caught violating the law by a European power, the U.S. would not protect that citizen from European punishments. 

         Consequences:

         In the United States, many Americans felt that the President had turned his back on an old ally.  Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson felt that the President was favoring Hamilton, and began to plan for his resignation from the Cabinet. 

         France and Britain took little notice of Washington’s Proclamation and began attacking American ships a few years later. 

Some Practice Questions

   Use the following questions as a barometer in preparing for the quiz.  Using your notes and any handouts from class answer the following questions:

  1. In 1790, what mountain range was an obstacle for American settlers moving west?

 
   2. Which of the following was not once the capital of the United States?

       A. Philadelphia                         B. Boston                      C. New York City


3. Which of the following is an example of foreign policy?

    A. Alexander Hamilton's plan to establish a National Bank of the United States.

    B. Thomas Jefferson supporting the idea of state's rights.

    C. George Washington declaring that the United States is going to remain neutral regarding the           conflict between Britain and France.

    D.   Alexander Hamilton's plan to place a tariff on imported goods.


4. Name two members of Washington's Cabinet that wanted the United States to support the British in their struggle against the French.




5. Which of the following Cabinet members was not from the South?

    A. Thomas Jefferson                                              B. James Madison                                                                
  
    C. Henry Knox                                                       D. Edmund Randolph
 


    

Problems Abroad

    When Britain and France went to war in 1793, President Washington intended for the United States to remain neutral in the conflict.  The President quickly found out that America's neutrality would be difficult to achieve.

     The French Republic sent Edmund Genet to the United States to try and obtain support for their struggle with the British and the Spanish.  Genet arrived in South Carolina and began to recruit American privateers to fight for the French.  While touring the American South, Genet began to raise a volunteer army to invade Spanish controlled Florida.  By the time Genet arrived in Philadelphia, President Washington had become concerned of Genet's actions.
  
      While Genet was touring the American South, Washington's Cabinet began to debate which course of action the United States should take with the crisis in Europe.  Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson encouraged the President to support the French in their military struggles.  The U.S. had signed a treaty with France promising military support if either nation was ever attacked.  Many Americans were sympathetic with the French struggle for democracy, and felt that the United States was obligated to come to the aid of the French.

   For Alexander Hamilton siding with the French would be an economic disaster.  Britain was America's number one trading partner, to help the French would guarantee a British boycott of American goods.  Many Northern merchants had close business ties with Great Britain, and could not afford to upset their trading partners.  As the French Revolution became increasingly bloody, Hamilton believed that America could soon be faced with same type of violence and upheaval that was occurring overseas.

   In April of 1793, President Washington issued the Neutrality Proclamation that formally declared America's stance on the European conflict. He would spend the remaining years of his Presidency trying to keep America out of European affairs and protect America's neutrality.


Below is a link to a scene from HBO's John Adams miniseries that depicts a confrontation  between Genet and President Washington.

Viva la France

 On July 14, 1789, an angry mob of Parisians attacked the Bastille, a medieval fortress in the center of Paris.  The crowd was hoping to free the hundred of political prisoners rumored to be held captive inside and gain access to weapons and gun powder.  For decades the fortress served as a symbol of the power of the French King, and caused resentment amongst the population of Paris.

  

     The crowd beheaded the captain of the guard, and freed all the prisoners inside (there were 7). The people of Paris now had weapons and confidence  and the king's guards were forced to flee the city. The French Revolution had begun.

    There are several major political revolutions in history that you will study later in high school and college, most of them were far more violent than the American Revolution.  No matter if the Revolution took place in Russia during the early 1900s or France during the 1780s, there are always common demands of the groups that are revolting.  These are: Power, Money, and Land.  The holy trinity of revolutions.

    The Power issue in France had to do with the political system that was set up.  The King had absolute power, and did not need the help of the Estates General (French legislative branch).  He could raise taxes or declare war on a whim.  The people who had power were a small percentage of the population, members of the nobility and the clergy. They had special privileges and held the best jobs in government.  In addition to that, these people controlled the majority of the land in France, forcing farmers to pay heavy fees to work the land.  

      Soldiers returning from fighting in the American Revolution spread the ideas of democracy and freedom.  Many of these men did not understand why they had to fight for freedom against a king, to return home to a king.  Americans now had a government of elected rulers, not officials  appointed by a king.  In America people who were qualified got a job, not people who were born into the nobility. 

    Those special privileges had to deal with money.  The clergy and the nobles did not have to pay taxes.  The middle class, the farmers, and the poor city workers paid the brunt of France's taxes.  In addition to the tax burden, a series of droughts and famine caused the price of bread and grain to become unaffordable for many middle class and city workers.  These people became upset that the government did not step in and help them.  Farmers could not sell their crops and had troubles paying their taxes and rent to the rich land lords. 

  

    Hungry People+Poor People= Angry People.  

   The majority of the population of France was ready for a change, and change happened quickly.

Within the matter of a few months, Louis XVI, the king of France was removed from office, replaced with an elected Republic.  The French government issued "The Declaration of the Rights of Man", which promised that the people of France were entitled to "liberty, property, security, and the resistance to oppression".   Ideas that were borrowed from the Declaration of Independence.   

   Many politicians and Americans were pleased with the French Revolution.  Happy to see that the ideas of democracy and freedom were spreading to Europe.  This happiness, would soon disappear.

   France became immersed in bloodshed.  Governments changed, and mass executions of political enemies took place.  The King and Queen of France were among the 40,000 people who would become a victim to the "Reign of Terror".  The guillotine, invented as a more humane way of executing someone, became the symbol of death and anarchy.  Monarchs across Europe, declared war against the French, hoping to prevent the violence and disorder from spreading to their nations. 

   Back in the United States, President Washington faced the daunting task of deciding what course the United States should take. 

H.W.

Read pages 311-315 in your text, then read p. 154 from your Hamilton and Jefferson reading.   Afterwards, please answer the following questions.

1. Which members of Washington's Cabinet supported the French?  Which members supported the British?

     

 2. Why did some Americans want to support the French in their struggles against Britain, Spain, and the Netherlands?

 3. Who was Citizen Genet?  What did Citizen Genet do that would have him be recalled back to France?

 4. What did George Washington decide to do regarding the conflict in Europe?

 5. Why was John Jay sent to Great Britain to negotiate a treaty?

Alexander Hamilton's Financial Plan

  When Alexander Hamilton was appointed Secretary of Treasury he was given the daunting task of improving the American economy.  Hamilton organized a study of the new nation's finances and delivered a report on manufacturing to the Congress in December of 1791.  In his report Hamilton outlined his goals for the Treasury Department.

   Hamilton called for Congress to approve of three measures:

    1.  The creation of a National Bank of the United States.

    2. To have the National Government take on all the debts from the 13 states from the American   Revolution and pay them off.








    3. Place a tariff on imported goods from Europe to protect and encourage manufacturing in the United States.


      Hamilton's Plan was well received by many Congressmen and Senators from the North.  Many Southerners felt that his plan favored the Northern states, and would hurt the interests of Southern planters and farmers.

   Thomas Jefferson believed that Hamilton's Plan was unconstitutional and encouraged President Washington to not approve of the plan.  Jefferson believed that the creation of the National Bank would  increase the power of the National Government at the expense of the states.   Since the Constitution does not mention anything about a National Bank, Jefferson believed that the Bank should not be created. Jefferson's strict interpretation of the Constitution was at odds with Hamilton's loose interpretation of the Constitution.

Social Studies Survey

   Please complete this survey from the Social Studies Department about last year's history experience.  The survey should not take any longer then 10 minutes.

  Thank you for your corporation,

    ~ Mr. Mullady

Alexander Hamilton vs. Thomas Jefferson

  When creating his Cabinet, George Washington turned to two of the most talented men in the country to help run the country.  Washington had known Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson for over 20 years, both men were well respected and dedicated to serving the country.  Washington's decision to have the two men on his Cabinet would seriously impact the development of the country and have consequences that he could not have foreseen.

      Alexander Hamilton was born on the Caribbean island of Nevis in 1757.  Hamilton grew up being raised by his mother and worked as a clerk to support her and his younger brother.  Following his mother's death, he was sent to America to obtain an education.  He graduated Kings College in New York City, and at the outbreak of the American Revolution he enlisted with the local militia.

      During the war he was appointed to be the aide-de-camp, or chief of staff for General George Washington.  While serving under Washington he developed a close friendship with the Marquise de Lafayette and become one of Washington's most trusted soldiers.

      Following the war, Hamilton became involved in politics and practiced law in New York City.  With a group of investors, he established the Bank of New York and became one of the city's most important citizens.  During the Constitutional Convention he wrote essays defending the need to have a strong national government to keep the country safe. Hamilton did not believe that the average citizen would be able to make good decisions and felt that the government needed to protect the people from themselves.

    As Secretary of Treasury, Alexander Hamilton encouraged President Washington to create policies that would grow industry in the United States.  Hamilton believed that the economy of the United States should be based on manufacturing and trade, like the economy of Great Britain.  If the economy of the United States was strong, Hamilton felt that the government of the United States would be strong.


    Thomas Jefferson was born on his family's plantation in Virginia on April 13, 1743.  The Jefferson family was one of the wealthiest families in Virginia.  Thomas grew up with private tutors and attended William and Mary College at the age of 16. He studied philosophy, law, and classical languages.  When the American Revolution broke out, Jefferson left his law practice to serve on the Continental Congress, as governor of Virginia, and later the Ambassador to France.

  As Secretary of State, Jefferson believed that he would be the main advisor to President Washington at Cabinet meetings.  Very quickly, Jefferson found himself often debating with Alexander Hamilton on certain issue.  Washington would try and remain neutral during these debates, but it became very clear that there was a political divide growing in the President's Cabinet with Jefferson and Hamilton emerging as the leaders.