Foreign policy: is one nation’s views and actions towards other nations

Which do you think is the best way for our nation to act towards other nations:

Help our friends only as much as we can

Help our friends when we can, but focus on ourselves first and most

Help nations in need a lot even if they are not close friends

Help nations in need when we can, but focus on ourselves first and most

Defeat evil nations at all costs

Defeat evil nations at all costs if they threaten us

Defeat evil nations, but only act if they threaten us

Defeat evil nations if it isn’t too costly to us

Stay out of other nations arguments as much as we can (be neutral)

Chose as many or as few of these ideas as you want (or your own!!) to finish this thought---

If I were in charge of the U.S foreign policy., we would :

President Washington faced big foreign policy challenges. His greatest challenge was what to do when England and France went to war. A second challenge how to treat Spain, who owned the land west of the Mississippi, and the land that is now Florida.

Imagine you are an advisor to Secretary of State Jefferson and the President. They have asked you to study up on the world situation in the early 1790s and form opinions.

Question #1 What side, if any, should the United States take in the conflict between England and France?

.There are 3 possible views to represent:

  • The U.S. should help France
  • The U.S. should help England
  • The U.S. should stay as neutral (stay out of it)

If time permits, we will discuss another issue:

Question #2:How should we react to Spain closing the Port of New Orleans to American ships?

Group Role: American business people who are Pro-British

Background Information:

About the U.S.:

The U.S. was a very weak nation in 1793, and had a very small military. Few thought we would survive as a nation in the long run because no democracy had ever lasted before.

About France:

  • France had been an ally (helper) to the U.S. during the American Revolution in 1776. Without them, we would probably not be free of the British.
  • We signed a treaty in 1788 with the French King and people saying that we would always “back up” France. They said they would also always “back up” us.
  • On July 14, 1789 (known as Bastile Day), The French Revolution started in Paris. The People of France were trying to kick out their king so they could make decisions for themselves and be treated more fairly. In this sense, it was similar to our own Revolution.
  • At first, many Americans supported the French Revolution as a good idea, but it got very violent and many people died. The crowd cut the King’s head off !
  • Revolutionaries in France called for greater change than people in the U.S. had during our own revolution. For example, they wanted all land spread out equally and wealth divided up.
  • After the French Revolution, the new government of France declared war on England and Spain. It hoped to create a large empire in Europe and to form colonies around the world.
  • France wanted/expected the U.S. to help them fight the British, just as they did for us.

About England (British):

  • The English and Americans signed a peace treaty ending the American Revolution in 1783. (the Treaty of Paris) It was a treaty to end the war, but didn’t require the two nations to be friends.
  • However, 10 years later, there were still some problems because England hadn’t moved all their troops and forts from the lands between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River.
  • Also, Britain was helping Native Americans defend themselves from American settlers who were trying to settle in Native American lands (to be fair, US settlers were breaking a treaty between the U.S. and Native groups by trying to get this land)
  • The British were also American’s best trading partner. Many new American businesses survived by selling their goods to England or by getting materials from the English.
  • We also owed British citizens and government a lot of money as part of the treaty ending the American Revolution.
  • England didn’t require or expect that the U.S. would actively help them fight France, but they did not want the U.S. to help France in any way.
  • England threatened to capture any trade ships sending supplies from the U.S. to France. By 1793, these captures (called impressments) were starting to happen.

Misc:

Spain controlled Florida, the land West of the Mississippi River, and much of Central and South America.

In 1794, Spain closed the Port of New Orleans (which they owned) to American shipping companies. This meant that no American ships could use the Mississippi for trade and travel out through the Gulf of Mexico and to Europe.

This made it very hard for U.S. traders to make money.

Spain also did not want the United States t take France’s side in the European War.

Simulation Planning:

  1. Looking through the info, what are the 3 best arguments you can make for the U.S. helping England? As you do this, you can think of both reasons why England deserves our help and why France does not.

If time, come up with a slogan and/or name for your group. (Traders for…)

Group Role: American average people who are Pro-French

Background Information:

About the U.S.:

The U.S. was a very weak nation in 1793, and had a very small military. Few thought we would survive as a nation in the long run because no democracy had ever lasted before.

About France:

  • France had been an ally (helper) to the U.S. during the American Revolution in 1776. Without them, we would probably not be free of the British.
  • We signed a treaty in 1788 with the French King and people saying that we would always “back up” France. They said they would also always “back up” us.
  • On July 14, 1789 (known as Bastile Day), The French Revolution started in Paris. The People of France were trying to kick out their king so they could make decisions for themselves and be treated more fairly. In this sense, it was similar to our own Revolution.
  • At first, many Americans supported the French Revolution as a good idea, but it got very violent and many people died. The crowd cut the King’s head off!!
  • Revolutionaries in France called for greater change than people in the U.S. had during our won revolution. For example, they wanted all land spread out equally and wealth divided up.
  • After the French Revolution, the new government of France declared war on England and Spain. It hoped to create a large empire in Europe and to form colonies around the world.
  • France wanted/expected the U.S. to help them fight the British, just as they did for us.

About England (British):

  • The English and Americans signed a peace treaty ending the American Revolution in 1783. (the Treaty of Paris) It was a treaty to end the war, but didn’t require the two nations to be friends.
  • However, 10 years later, there were still some problems because England hadn’t moved all their troops and forts from the lands between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River.
  • Also, Britain was helping Native Americans defend themselves from American settlers who were trying to settle in Native American lands (to be fair, US settlers were breaking a a treaty between the U.S. and Native groups by trying to get this land)
  • The British were also American’s best trading partner. Many new American businesses survived by selling their goods to England or by getting materials from the English.
  • We also owed British citizens and government a lot of money as part of the treaty ending the American Revolution.
  • England didn’t require or expect that the U.S. would actively help them fight France, but they did not want the U.S. to help France in any way.
  • England threatened to capture any trade ships sending supplies from the U.S. to France. By 1793, these captures (called impressments) were starting to happen.

Misc:

Spain controlled Florida, the land West of the Mississippi River, and much of Central and South America.

In 1794, Spain closed the Port of New Orleans (which they owned) to American shipping companies. This meant that no American ships could use the Mississippi for trade and travel out through the Gulf of Mexico and to Europe.

This made it very hard for U.S. traders to make money.

Spain also did not want the United States t take France’s side in the European War.

Simulation Planning:

  1. Looking through the info, what are the 3 best arguments you can make for the U.S. helping France? As you do this, you can think of both reasons why France deserves our help and why England does not.

If time, come up with a name for your group and/ or a slogan (Farmers for…)

Group Role: American citizens who want us to stay neutral

Background Information:

About the U.S.:

The U.S. was a very weak nation in 1793, and had a very small military. Few thought we would survive as a nation in the long run because no democracy had ever lasted before.

About France:

  • France had been an ally (helper) to the U.S. during the American Revolution in 1776. Without them, we would probably not be free of the British.
  • We signed a treaty in 1788 with the French King and people saying that we would always “back up” France. They said they would also always “back up” us.
  • On July 14, 1789 (known as Bastile Day), The French Revolution started in Paris. The People of France were trying to kick out their king so they could make decisions for themselves and be treated more fairly. In this sense, it was similar to our own Revolution.
  • At first, many Americans supported the French Revolution as a good idea, but it got very violent and many people died. The crowd cut the King’s head off!!
  • Revolutionaries in France called for greater change than people in the U.S. had during our won revolution. For example, they wanted all land spread out equally and wealth divided up.
  • After the French Revolution, the new government of France declared war on England and Spain. It hoped to create a large empire in Europe and to form colonies around the world.
  • France wanted/expected the U.S. to help them fight the British, just as they did for us.

About England (British):

  • The English and Americans signed a peace treaty ending the American Revolution in 1783. (the Treaty of Paris) It was a treaty to end the war, but didn’t require the two nations to be friends.
  • However, 10 years later, there were still some problems because England hadn’t moved all their troops and forts from the lands between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River.
  • Also, Britain was helping Native Americans defend themselves from American settlers who were trying to settle in Native American lands (to be fair, US settlers were breaking a a treaty between the U.S. and Native groups by trying to get this land)
  • The British were also American’s best trading partner. Many new American businesses survived by selling their goods to England or by getting materials from the English.
  • We also owed British citizens and government a lot of money as part of the treaty ending the American Revolution.
  • England didn’t require or expect that the U.S. would actively help them fight France, but they did not want the U.S. to help France in any way.
  • England threatened to capture any trade ships sending supplies from the U.S. to France. By 1793, these captures (called impressments) were starting to happen.

Misc:

Spain controlled Florida, the land West of the Mississippi River, and much of Central and South America.

In 1794, Spain closed the Port of New Orleans (which they owned) to American shipping companies. This meant that no American ships could use the Mississippi for trade and travel out through the Gulf of Mexico and to Europe.

This made it very hard for U.S. traders to make money.

Spain also did not want the United States t take France’s side in the European War.

Simulation Planning:

  1. Looking through the info, what are the 3 best arguments you can make for the U.S. staying neutral?

If time, come up with a name for your group and/ or a slogan (Citizens for…)