Early Foreign Policy

FOCUS QUESTION:

Identify the Foreign policy challenges facing the U.S. in the period from 1790 through 1815.

Between the Scylla and Carybdis

Foreign Policy in the Early Republic

WAR!!!• Britain and France went to war in 1793• U.S. torn in the middle– Allied with France– Traded heavily with Britain– Democratic-Republicans favored France– Federalists favored Britain

• What do we do?

Decisions, Decisions

• Washington declared Neutrality– U.S. unprepared for war– Angered Democratic-Republicans– Set a tone for “Isolationism”

• Adams followed Washington’s policy

Age of Jefferson

• Purchased Louisiana from the French• Tried to remain neutral

The Embargo of 1807

• Both Britain and France were seizing U.S. ships• Jefferson decided to enact an embargo– Cuts Britain and France from U.S. trade– Preserves U.S. ships and sailors– Puts pressure on Britain and France• Denied U.S. corn and other food products

Backfired!

• Ruined the U.S. economy– Merchants unable to ship or trade goods– Sailors thrown out of work– Farmers lost markets

• Only textile manufacturers did well• Led to a brief Federalist resurgence

Embargo lifted in 1808

• Did not impact Britain and France• Jefferson overestimated impact of American

agriculture• Jefferson misunderstood how the economy

worked

War of 1812

• U.S. declares war on Britain– Impressment of U.S. sailors– Infringement of U.S. trade– Britain arming Native Americans