Apush Dbq 2

During the capital of the United States, Adams, and Jefferson administrations (from 1776 to 1807) neutrality was the Statess main outside(prenominal) policy. In determining that neutrality was the boilers suit snap of the Statesn diplomacy, one must assess the deviations from, as soundly as the success, of neutrality. Neutrality was originally implemented by George Washington in order to maintain the young countrys stovepipe interests. However, lapses in neutrality occurred when the government was forced to favor one foreign power, each wide Britain or France, through treaties.Further much, commercial interests ultimately drove the Statess decisions and thus influenced the effectiveness of neutrality. Despite such lapses in success, Americas number one foreign policy remained neutrality. Political leaders found involvement in European affairs to be strange and detrimental to the young tribe, thus neutrality was the primary focus of America. George Washington was a strong su pporter of neutrality despite his highly authoritative cabinet (Hamilton was pro-British and Jefferson pro- french).In 1793, in response to King Louis XVIs beheading in the cut Revolution, Washington issued the Proclamation of Neutrality which verbalize that America would adopt and pursue a conduct friendly and unreserved to contendd the belligerent Powers (D). Washington opted to remain neutral in order to avoid conflict with Britain and France, refusing to side with either one. Furthermore, Washington emphasized the necessity of neutrality in his farefountainhead address in 1796. He explained that the great observe of conduct for Americans in regard to foreign res publicas was to have s critical political connection as possible (J). Thus, Washington established the richness of neutrality which was also support by pot Adams. During the Revolutionary struggle ( reclaim by and by the Battle of Saratoga) the Americans formed the Franco-American alliance and gained Frenc h support from the king. However, magic Adams wrote in his diary in 1775, That We ought not to enter into any adherence with her France, which should entangle Us in any future warfares in Europe, (A). Adams supported Washingtons push for neutrality and recognized the consequences of forming an alliance with France.Adams was right about the Franco-American Alliance, which later resulted in France seeking American aide against Britain after Louis XVI was beheaded. On the other hand, Adams approved Jays accordance with not bad(p) Britain which up align the French who were at war with the British. Jays Treaty colonised the return of confiscated goods and ships to the Americans and established that pre-Revolutionary War debts must be paid as express in the Treaty of Paris in 1783. Americans had avoided these debts even though the Treaty of Paris stated that creditors on either side shall tally o the recovery of the full value in sterling specie of all bona fide debts heretofore c ontr work oned, (E). During the Jefferson administration, foreign tensions rose and eventually lead to the War of 1812. Jefferson also enforced neutrality, claiming in his Inaugural Address in 1801 that the soil will maintain honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none (K). such(prenominal) ideas were evident in his response to the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair. In 1807, the British warship Leopard dismissed on an American warship, the Chesapeake, killing three Americans and impressing four others.Impressment was the act of forcing American sailors into the British navy as depicted in document M (M). Instead of declaring war as many American citizens wanted, Jefferson issued the embargo piece, which cut off all American shipping to Europe in an attempt to cripple the British economy and prevent them from confiscating American goods and impressing their sailors. However, Jeffersons attempt to maintain neutrality back-fired and crippled the American economy mor e than Europes. Conflicts amid Great Britain and France often caused lapses in Americas focus on neutrality.Specifically, during the Washingtons administration and the French Revolution, Citizen Genet, the French minister to America, broke the typical rules of diplomacy by appealing today to the American people. He called for American support of the French Revolution, pointing to the Franco-American Alliance which stated that the two nations shall make all efforts in its Power, against their common enemy Britain (C). such(prenominal) support would directly violate Americas primary foreign policy, neutrality.Thus, Washington refused to support the French Revolution and make an enemy of Great Britain. This decision angered pro-French Americans who supported Frances aspiration to establish a republic. As a result, Thomas Jefferson, who was pro-French, resigned from his position of Secretary of State in disagreement with Washingtons Proclamation of Neutrality. The ratification of Jay s Treaty with Great Britain further infuriated French supporters, failed to solve the issue of British impressment, and even promised that Americans would pay pre-Revolutionary War debt to Britain (F).Moreover, it caused the French to be outraged with the Americans and started French seizure of American ships. Political tensions between the three nations act during John Adams presidency with the XYZ Affair in 1798. Three French agents, known hardly as X, Y, and Z, demanded a high fee from American delegates to enter negotiations for a accordance regarding the French seizure of American ships. This tested the young nations focus on neutrality as outraged Americans called for war with France.As a result, neutrality was pushed aside as the Quasi War, which was never officially declared, broke out. The public anger caused by the war strengthened the Federalist party, who used the power to pass the Alien, Sedition, and Naturalization Acts. These Acts limited Democratic-Republican pow er by increasing the number of years required for immigrants to become citizens (Naturalization Act), by authorizing the chairwoman to deport aliens deemed a threat to the nation (Alien Act), and by making it dirty for newspaper editors to criticize the president or Congress (Sedition Act).The Convention of 1800 cerebrate the Quasi War, however impressment continued into Jeffersons presidency during the Napoleonic Wars, making it more difficult for the young nation to maintain neutrality. Thus, conflicts between Great Britain and France often involved America despite the American focus on neutrality. Commercial interests often times caused disruptions of neutrality and competed as a priority of the young nation. Because traffic was of high splendor to the growing nation, neutrality, in order to maintain trade, was necessary.Thomas Paine even stated, Our plan is trade, and emphasized the importance of neutrality to the American economy by saying we ought to form no political con nection with any part of it Europe, (B). For instance, Jays Treaty negatively affected American commerce and political relations with France. Additionally, James capital of Wisconsin criticized the treaty as being ready to sacrifice the dearest interests of our commerce (G). The treaty not only affected political diplomacy with France, nevertheless also affected relations with Spain and their North American colonies.Spain saw the treaty as a sign that the Americans were building an alliance with Britain and felt a need to strengthen their American territories. This lead to Pinckneys Treaty, in 1795, which set the boundary line between the United States and the Spanish territories, as well as allowed the use of the Mississippi River and the Louisiana sea port to two the Americans and the Spanish (H). Pinckneys Treaty sheltered American commerce on the Mississippi and resulted in peaceful relations with Spain. Later, during Adams presidency, the seizure of American merchant ships by France raised tensions that resulted in the Quasi War.The disruption of American commerce forced the nation to disregard neutrality in order to protect their trading rights. The Convention of 1800 concluded the war and promised that Property captured shall be reciprocally restored (I). The Convention revealed the evident commercial intentions of the Quasi War and set the American economy as a priority equal to that of neutrality. However, Great Britain continued to seize American ships and impress American sailors. Instead of engaging in war, Jefferson opted to pass the Embargo Act of 1807 in an attempt to sustain neutrality.The Act prevented trade with any European nation, attempting to damage Britains economy and forestall impressment. Unfortunately, the plan backfired and devastated the American economy. Thus, Americans felt a greater need to twine from neutrality in order to better their commerce. Although America faced disruptions in neutrality, ultimately, it remained t he nations overall primary foreign policy. From 1776 to 1807, neutrality kept the young nation out of unnecessary European conflicts and served to maintain the countrys best interests.