Chapter 6: The Federalist Era (1789-1800): Launching A New Nation

Foreign Affairs Under Washington

“They were the best of times. They were the worst of times”

Background Information:

George Washington received unanimous support in the Electoral College in 1792. His second term, however, was troubled by continuing partisan strife and also by deepening foreign policy issues. Washington declared American neutrality as warfare swept Europe in the wake of the French Revolution, resisted the efforts of Citizen Edmond Genêtto entangle American in those wars, and negotiated the highly successful Pinckney's Treaty with Spain and the nearly disastrous Jay's Treaty with Britain.

Your Task: Using the links below- answer each question as completely as possible.

Feel free to use your text book if you need additional research (pp. 190-196).

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TOPIC#1 PROCLAMATION OF NEUTRALITY:

Read the following documents and answer:Why did the United States want to maintain its neutrality in foreign policy at the beginning of the 1790s?

1)

2)

TOPIC #2 CITIZEN EDMOND GENET:

Read the following document andidentify Edward Genet and explain his impact on the growing tensions between Federalists and Republicans.

TOPIC #3: HAMILTON’S FINANCIAL PROGRAM:
  1. Read the following documents and describe how Hamilton’s financial plan attempted to solve our nations’ debt
  2. Explain the opposition to Hamilton's financial plan and how compromise was eventually achieved.

TOPIC #3 JAY’S TREATY

Read the following document andlist the major provisions of Jay's Treaty. Why was Jay's Treaty poorly received in the United States?

TOPIC #4 PINCKNEY’S TREATY

Read the following document and describe America's and Spain's reasons for negotiating Pinckney's Treaty.

ASSESSMENT

Read Washington’s Farewell Address~When Washington made his Farewell Address to the United States many internal and external forces were beginning to play upon the development of the new Republic's political identity at home and to the world at-large. The advice that Washington delivered to the representatives of the United States over two hundred years ago is traditionally read each year in the U.S. Senate.
1) Pick out the main points of Washington's speech.

2) Why does he warn about the dangers of sectionalism? Why is the rise of political parties of such concern for him, and what does he fear about political parties?

3) What does he mean by "entangling alliances," and why are they to be avoided? What events in the world could have caused this focus for his foreign policy?

4) Do Washington's words have any bearing on conditions facing our country today?

5) Do these words only reflect a bygone era of our history? Or do they reflect current foreign and domestic problems for our leaders and ourselves?

You can listen to the Farewell Address here:

While Viewing Washington's Farewell Address on C-SPANC-SPAN's coverage of Senator George Voinovich's reading of the Address from February 22, 1999.

ESSAY QUESTION- to be completed on ….

George Washington became President—reluctantly—at a critical time in the history of the United States. The Confederation had threatened to unravel; the weak central government created by the Articles of Confederation had failed. As part of its goal to form a "more perfect" government, The Constitution of the United States defined a new role for the executive, the President, in a much stronger federal system. However, a definition on paper and a President in practice could be two very different things.

Evaluate Washington’s presidency. (See notes below)

What important developments occurred during George Washington's tenure as the first "President of the United States"? How did they affect the future of the U.S. and the office of President? Did he fulfill the needs of the United States at the time?

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(Evaluate:
In an evaluation question you are expected to present a careful appraisal, stressing both advantages and limitations. Evaluation implies authoritative and, to a lesser degree, personal appraisal.)

Grading Rubric

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A Expert
100 pts / B
92 pts / C
84 pts / D Beginner
69 pts / F
59 pts
Accuracy / A
Students information is completely accurate. Contains facts to back up any opinions that are included. / B
Students information is accurate. It contains mostly factual information to back up any opinions that are included. / C
Students information is mostly accurate. It contains some factual information to back up any opinions that are included. / D
Student's information is not accurate. It does not contain factual information to back up any opinions that are included. / F
Student did not attempt the paper.
Content / A
The information in the paper satisfactorily answers the topic question. / B
The information in the paper adequately answers the topic question. / C
The information in the paper attempts to answer the topic question. / D
The information in the paper does not attempt to answer the topic question. / F
Student did not attempt the paper.
Grammar / A
The paper contains no spelling or grammar errors. / B
The paper contains 1-5 grammar or spelling errors. / C
The paper contains 6-10 grammar or spelling errors. / D
The paper contains 11-15 grammar or spelling errors. / F
The paper contains more than 16 grammar or spelling errors, or the student did not attempt the paper.
Format / A
The paper format is completely correct and contains an opening, body, closing, and works cited page. / B
The paper format is correct and contains an opening, body, closing, and works cited page. / C
The paper format is mostly correct. May or may not include an opening, body, closing, and works cited page. / D
The paper format is partially correct. May or may not include an opening, body, closing, and works cited page. / F
Student did not attempt the paper.

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