What was Washingtons approach to foreign policy?

As America's first president, George Washington practiced a pragmatically cautious yet successful foreign policy.

Taking a Neutral Stance

As well as being the "father of the country," Washington was also the father of early US neutrality. He understood that the United States was too young, had too little money, had too many domestic issues, and had too small a military to actively engage in a strident foreign policy.

Still, Washington was no isolationist. He wanted the United States to be an integral part of the western world, but that could only happen with time, solid domestic growth, and a stable reputation abroad.

Washington avoided political and military alliances, even though the US had already been the recipient of military and financial foreign aid. In 1778, during the American Revolution, the United States and France signed the Franco-American Alliance. As part of the agreement, France sent money, troops, and naval ships to North America to fight the British. Washington himself commanded a coalition force of American and French troops at the climactic siege of Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781.​

Nevertheless, Washington declined aid to France during warfare in the 1790s. A revolution — inspired, in part, by the American Revolution — began in 1789. As France sought to export its anti-monarchical sentiments throughout Europe, it found itself at war with other nations, chiefly Great Britain. France, expecting the US would respond favorably to France, asked Washington for aid in the war. Even though France only wanted the US to engage British troops who were still garrisoned in Canada, and take on British naval ships sailing near US waters, Washington refused.

Washington's foreign policy also contributed to a rift in his own administration. The president eschewed political parties, but a party system began in his cabinet nonetheless. Federalists, the core of whom had established the federal government with the Constitution, wanted to normalize relations with Great Britain. Alexander Hamilton, Washington's secretary of the treasury and defacto Federalist leader, championed that idea. However, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson led another faction — the Democrat-Republicans. (They called themselves simply Republicans, although that is confusing to us today.) The Democrat-Republicans championed France — since France had helped the US and was continuing its revolutionary tradition — and wanted widespread trade with that country.

Jay's Treaty

France — and the Democrat-Republicans — grew angrier with Washington in 1794 when he appointed Supreme Court Chief Justice John Jay as a special emissary to negotiate normalized trade relations with Great Britain. The resulting Jay's Treaty secured "most-favored-nation" trade status for the US in the British trade network, settlement of some pre-war debts, and a pull-back of British troops in the Great Lakes area.

Farewell Address

Perhaps Washington's greatest contribution to US foreign policy came in his farewell address in 1796. Washington was not seeking a third term (although the Constitution did not then prevent it), and his comments were to herald his exit from public life.

Washington warned against two things. The first, although it was really too late, was the destructive nature of party politics. The second was the danger of foreign alliances. He warned neither to favor one nation too highly over another and to not ally with others in foreign wars.

For the next century, while the United States did not steer perfectly clear of foreign alliances and issues, it did adhere to neutrality as the major part of its foreign policy.

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Terms in this set (12)

The decisions that Washington and the first Congress had to make about the new government would be the issues of precedent and that they needed to create a more efficient Government.

What decisions did Washington and the first Congress have to make about the new government?

The economy developed under the guidance of Alexander Hamilton because Hamilton tried to improve government finances and strengthen the nation at the same time.

How did the economy develop under the guidance of Alexander Hamilton?

The significance of the word bond is that many people now need to use bonds, so that they are able to buy the things they want/need, even if they don't have the money at the moment.

Explain the significance of the word bond to this era of United States history

The Whiskey Rebellion was when Western Pennsylvania farmers were angry that Congress passed a tax on the manufacture and sale of whiskey. In July 1794, an armed mob had attacked tax collectors and burned down buildings. The government sent federal groups and a message to the public.

Describe the Whiskey Rebellion and the government's actions in response to it

The role that foreign nations played in president Washington's relation with Native Americans was that Britain and Spain sided with the Native Americans, who fought the westward advance of American settlers.

What role did foreign nations play in President Washington's relations with Native American groups?

Washington's approach to foreign policy was that he wanted to observe good faith and justice torward all nations and to steer clear of permanent alliances. It was complicated because of the new threat that was political parties.

What was Washington's approach to foreign policy, and why was it complicated?

The belief of those who opposed the formation of political parties was that the political parties were harmful to good government and that it would divide our nation. The belief of those who supported it said that it seemed natural that people would disagree about issues. Also, they knew that people who had similar views should band together

What was the belief of those who opposed the formation of political parties? What was the belief of those who supported them?

What happened in the XYZ affair was that when Adams took office, the nation was in a dispute with France. The French thought that Jay's Treaty was an American attempt to help the British in their war with France. To punish the U.S, the French seized American ships that carried cargo to Britain. When president Adams sent a team to try and resolve the dispute, France officials did not want to meet with Americans and instead sent 3 agents, who demanded a bribe and a loan for France from the Americans

What happened in the XYZ affair?

Jay's Treaty

The British agreed to withdraw from American soil
-led to Pinckney's Treaty

Pinckney's Treaty

Gave Americans free navigation of the Mississippi River and the right to trade at New Orleans

Treaty of Greenville

Native American leaders agreed to surrender most of the land (which is now Ohio)

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How did the process of electing a president change after the election of 1800?

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