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The French Revolution.
The French Revolution was a rebellion of French people against their king in 1789. The French wanted support from the people in America, because they helped them in the Revolution. Thomas Jefferson supported them all the way, because he was over at France for months, because he wanted to keep the tie between America and France. But Hamilton felt differently, and believed that they were still too fragile to fight other countries. Washington agreed with Hamilton. -
Reaction in the West
On March 1791, Congress passed a tax on American-made whiskey. People west were bitter about the tax. They believed that the tax was aimed at them. Farmers who produced small amounts of whiskey argued that they could not afford the tax. They wanted to be able to keep the money they had made from a product they created themselves. Protests in 1792 led Washington to issue a proclamation saying that the people had to obey the law. -
General Wayne takes Command
Anthony Wayne took an army in the West under Washington's command, because the Native Americans fought and won two battles before. Wayne's task was to bring troops to the frontier to fight against the Indians. In 1793, General Wayne's troop arrived in Ohio, but many of his men were ill from small pox and influenza so they could not fight well. Near the summer of 1794, the Native Americans led by Little Turtle attacked a supply train near the fort. Wayne burned their crops and villages. -
The French Question
France wanted America to help them against Britain by commanding privateers. Washington said that having American privateers to attack British ships would be violating the Neutrality Proclamation. Jefferson wanted America to back France up because they helped them in the war, but even Jefferson agreed that using American ships to attack British ships was a bad idea. Jefferson also thought that Hamilton consequently interfered with his role as Secretary of State. He resigned in 1793. -
The Neutrality Proclomation
The Neutrality Proclamation stated that the United States would not take any part or sides in any European countries that were at war. Washington presented this proclamation to Congress, in favor of Hamilton, because he agreed with him. The country was still to fragile to fight any more wars. Washington thought his plan was the safest in the long run, but other people in Congress disagreed with him. James Madison thought that he had gone beyond his authority, and he questioned him further. -
Whiskey Rebellion is Crushed
By 1794, farmers lashed out against the tax on whiskey. It was known as the Whiskey Rebellion. The violence spread to other states. Washington feared that the rebels threatened the federal government's authority. He wanted to make people understand that the Constitution gave Congress the right to pass and enforce that law. Later, Washington led an army against the rebellion. The 13,000 men approached western Pennsylvania. Most rebels had fled, so the Whiskey rebellion ended without a fight. -
The End of Conflict
The Native Americans fought Wayne and his troops in the Battle of Fallen Timbers, and were defeated. Again, Wayne and his troops burned Indians villages and crops. The Indian forces in the region was broken. In August of 1795, the Native American leaders signed the Treaty of Greenville, which gave the United States claim to most Indian lands in the Northwest territory. In exchange, the Native Americans got $20,000 worth of goods, and a knowledge of their claim to their lands they still held. -
Jay's Treaty
The reason for Jay's Treaty was that the British captured neutral American merchant ships, and they were helping native americans fight the settlers. Washington wanted to prevent another war with the British, so he sent Chief Justice John Jay to go to London and work out a compromise. Jay's Treaty settled the disputes that had arisen between the United States and Great Britain in the early 1790's. -
Pinckney's Treaty
Spain closed the port of New Orleans to U.S trade in 1784. This was bad for American trade because all goods moving down the Mississippi to places in the east or overseas had to pass through New Orleans. Washington asked Ambassador Thomas Pinckney to discuss the problem with Spanish officials. Pinckney asked the Spaniards to reopen the New Orleans U.S. trade, and also for American boats to transfer goods in New Orleans without paying cargo fees. Pinckney's Treaty settled trade with Spain. -
Washington says Farewell
In 1796, Washington decided to not run for a third term. He was tired of public life, and he wished for retirement, and he wanted to remind the people of America that the people were the true leaders. With help from Hamilton and Madison, Washington wrote his Farewell Address. In the Address, Washington warned against foreign ties, permanent ties, choosing sides, and public debt. He thought the government should not borrow money, because he wanted future generations protected from it. -
The Election of 1796
For the first time, more than one person ran for president. Political Parties that had begun forming during Washington's presidency, started dominating in the 1796 election. The Federalist Party wanted a strong federal government and supported industry and trade. The Federalist party chose Adams and Pinckney as candidates. The Democratic-Republican Party, chose Jefferson and Burr as candidates. In the end, Adams defeated Jefferson, but Jefferson still got to be Vice president. -
A New President
Washington was adored by the people before, so Adams had to work very hard to earn the people's trust. Most people did not think that Adams would make a good president, because he to most people he seemed to lack Washington's dignity, and man people saw him as a cold and distant person. But Adams had been a leading Patriot during the American Revolution, and later served as a foreign diplomat. Still, many people respected and recognized his hard work, intelligence, and honesty. -
Preparations for War/Peace Efforts
Adams asked Congress to expand the navy to a fleet of more than 30 ships. He thought that war with France would be unavoidable. He didn't ask Congress to declare war, instead he tried to reopen talks with France. His decision stunned the Federalists, he refused to change his mind. In the Caribbean, U.S. and France started fighting, so he sent a representative to France to talk. The U.S. and France signed a treaty, and Adams forced two people to resign for trying to block his peace efforts. -
The Alien and Sedition Acts
The Federalist-controlled congress passed four laws known together as the Alien and Sedition Acts. The laws were said to protect the U.S. but the Federalists intended them to crush opposition to war. The Sedition Act, which forbade anyone from voicing or publishing criticism of the federal government, was the most controversial. The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions argued that the Alien and Sedition Acts were unconstitutional. -
The United States and France
Adams tried to improve the bond between America and France by sending U.S. diplomats over to Paris. The French Minister would not talk to them, but instead Talleyrand's agents said they would discuss a treaty for a $250,000 bribe. The French government also wanted a loan of $12 million. The diplomats refused. Adams told everyone that the mission had failed. Adams described the French terms, substituting the names of the agents for X, Y, and Z.