Challenges to the New Government

1
Challenges to the New Government

• Launching a New Republic
• 9.2

2
Securing the NW Territory

• Trouble was occurring in the Trans-Appalachian
  West (the area between the Appalachian Mountains
  and the MI River)
• Spain, Great Britain, the U.S. and the Native
  Americans competed over these lands
• The 1783 Treaty of Paris was to settle these
  disputes, but failed to do so
• The Natives hoped to join together to form an
  independent Native American Nation
• America was not going for this and Britain
  supported the Natives in order to maintain their
  access to the fur in these territories

3
Battle of Fallen Timbers

• Although George Washington wanted to avoid
  military action, he decided to send troops to the
  area because he believed securing the NW
  Territory was crucial to the growth of the U.S.
• The American Army took a beating from Native
  American warriors led by Little Turtle in 1790
• After a second defeat in 1791, Washington ordered
  another army west, led by Anthony Wayne
• At this point, Little Turtle wanted to negotiate,
  but his allies ignored his advice and replaced
  Little Turtle with a less able leader

4
Battle of Fallen Timbers

• Expecting British help, Native American warriors
  gathered at British-held Fort Miami
• On August 20, 1794, approximately 2,000 Natives
  clashed with Waynes troops
• The fighting site was covered with trees that had
  been struck down by a storm-The Native Americans
  were defeated in what became known as the Battle
  of Fallen Timbers
• The Natives retreated to Fort Miami

5
Treaty of Greenville

• The British, not wanting war with the U.S.,
  refused to help the Natives
• This battle crushed the Natives hope of keeping
  their land in the NW Territory
• 12 tribes signed the Treaty of Greenville in 1795
• Natives agreed to surrender much of present-day
  Ohio and Indiana to the U.S. government

6
The Whiskey Rebellion

• Not long after the Battle of Fallen Timbers,
  George Washington had to send out another army to
  deal with the grumbles over the governments tax
  on whiskey
• This tax was part of Alexander Hamiltons
  financial plan to repay the national debt
• Farmers were angered from PA to GA

7
The Whiskey Rebellion

• Because of poor roads, backcountry farmers had
  trouble transporting their grain to the market
• Crops such as wheat and rye were easily carried
  to the market in liquid form (whiskey)
• Customers actually paid more for whiskey and
  farmers used whiskey as a form of as well

8
The Whiskey Rebellion

• In the summer of 1794, a group of farmers in
  western PA staged the Whiskey Rebellion against
  the tax
• Out of fear of not acting, Washington sent
  General Henry Lee, along with 13,000 soldiers
  into western PA to put down the uprising
• As news of the American army approached, the
  rebels fled, but not before American troops took
  20 prisoners
• Ultimately, Washington proved that the U.S.
  government had the power and will to enforce its
  laws

9
The French Revolution

• This was a European challenge for George
  Washington
• In 1789, a financial crisis led the French people
  to rebel against their government
• Inspired by the American Revolution, the French
  revolutionaries demanded liberty and equality
• At first Americans supported the French
  Revolution, but by 1792, the Revolution had
  become very violent (1,000s were being executed,
  along with King Louis XVI)

10
The French Revolution

• Other European monarchs felt threatened and
  France soon declared war on Britain, Holland and
  Spain
• The war between France and Britain put the U.S.
  in an awkward position since France was Americas
  ally during the American Revolution
• The 1778 Treaty of Alliance still bound France
  and the U.S. together

11
The French Revolution

• Thomas Jefferson argued to help France because
  the French Revolution was an attack on liberty
  everywhere
• -Versus-
• Alexander Hamilton who pointed out that Britain
  was the U.S.s most important trading partner and
  British trade was too important to risk

12
The French Revolution

• In 1793, George Washington decided that the U.S.
  would remain neutral
• Congress then passed a law (the Neutrality
  Proclamation) forbidding the U.S. from helping
  either side

13
Remaining Neutral

• Britain made it hard for the U.S. to remain
  neutral
• Late in 1792, the British began seizing the
  cargoes of American ships carrying goods from the
  French West Indies
• George Washington sent Chief Justice John Jay to
  England to discuss the above
• Jay also hoped to persuade the British to give up
  their forts on the NW frontier

14
Jays Treaty

• During these talks in 1794, news came of the U.S.
  victory at the Battle of Fallen Timbers
• Fearing another predicament, the British agreed
  to leave the Ohio Valley by 1796
• In Jays Treaty, the British also agreed to pay
  damages for U.S. vessels they had seized
• Jay failed, however, to open up the profitable
  British West Indies trade to Americans
• Because of this, Jays Treaty was unpopular

15
Jays Treaty

• Jays Treaty was narrowly approved by Senate due
  to the fact that Britain refused to agree to free
  trade in the British West Indies, but also the
  British rejected Jays proposal that the British
  compensate Americans for slaves abducted during
  the American Revolution
• Still the Treaty led to peaceful relations with
  Britain (until 18 years later)

16
Pinckneys Treaty

• Like Jay, Thomas Pinckney helped the U.S. reduce
  tension in the frontier
• In 1795, Pinckneys Treaty with Spain gave
  Americans the right to travel freely on the MI
  River
• The Treaty also gave Americans the right to store
  goods at the port of New Orleans without paying
  custom duties and Spain accepted the 31st
  parallel as the northern boundary of Florida and
  the southern boundary of the U.S.

17
Using Graphics

• Challenge
• From Spain
• From Britain
• From France

• Response
• Pinckneys Treaty
• Jays Treaty
• Policy of neutrality

18
Main Ideas

• What military and other actions secured the West
  for the U.S.?
• Battle of Fallen Timbers Treaty of Greenville
• Why did Washington consider it important to put
  down the Whiskey Rebellion?
• To uphold the authority of the federal government
• How did the French Revolution create problems for
  the U.S.?
• The U.S. became caught in the middle between
  France and Great Britain

19
Critical Thinking

• Why was neutrality a difficult policy for the
  U.S. to maintain?
• Think about
• Ties with France
• Ties with Britain
• Restrictions on trade