CHALLENGES TO THE NEW GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 9.2
LESSON MAIN IDEAS:
THREATS IN THE WEST
THE WHISKEY REBELLION
WASHINGTON’S FOREIGN POLICY
JAY’S AND PINCKNEY’S TREATIES
WHISKEY REBELLION
THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
Objective 1: Explain why Washington wanted to secure the Trans-Appalachian West
SECURING THE WEST
As a general, Washington had skillfully waged war. As the nation’s president, however, he saw that the country needed peace in order to prosper. But in spite of his desire for peace, he considered military action as trouble brewed in the Trans-Appalachian West, the land between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River. The source of the trouble was competing claims for these lands.
Spain, Britain, the United States, and Native Americans claimed parts of the area as their own. Spain held much of North America west of the Mississippi. It also claimed Florida and the port of New Orleans at the mouth of the Mississippi. For American settlers in the West, New Orleans and the Mississippi were key to trade.
SPAIN THREATENS AMERICAN BUSINESS
American merchants used the Mississippi River to transport their goods. When Spain threatened to take control of and close the Mississippi and the port of New Orleans American merchants felt threatened.
BRITAIN BREAKS TREATY AND AIDS NATIVE AMERICANS
In violation of the Treaty of Paris, the British still held forts north of the Ohio River. The British supported Native Americans in order to maintain their access to fur in these territories.
NATIVE AMERICANS LOOK TO UNIFY AGAINST AMERICANS
The strongest resistance to white settlement came from Native Americans in the Northwest Territory. Native Americans in that territory hoped to join together to form an independent Native American nation and stand up against Americans.
WASHINGTON’S THREATS IN THE WEST
Objective 2: Analyze the causes and outcome of the Battle of Fallen Timbers
Believing the Northwest Territory was critical to the security and growth of the new nation, Washington sent troops to the Ohio Valley. The first federal army took a beating from warriors led by Little Turtle in 1790. The chief’s force came from many tribes who joined in a confederation to defeat the federal army.
After a second defeat in 1791 Washington ordered another group of soldiers west. This time Anthony Wayne, known as “Mad Anthony” for his reckless courage, was at its head.
The other chiefs ignored Little Turtle’s advice to negotiate with America. They replaced him with a less able leader.
Objective 2: Analyze the causes and outcome of the Battle of Fallen Timbers
Expecting British help, Native American warriors gathered at British-held Fort Miami. On August 20, 1794, a fighting force of around 2,000 Native Americans clashed with Wayne’s troops.
The Native Americans retreated to Fort Miami. The British, not wanting war with the United States, refused to help them. The Battle of Fallen Timbers crushed Native American hopes of keeping their land in the Northwest Territory. Twelve tribes signed the Treaty of Greenville in 1795. They agreed to cede, or surrender, much of present-day Ohio and Indiana to the U.S. government.
OUTCOME
Multiple violent clashes between Native Americans and American troops. An American victory causes Native Americans to surrender much of what is Ohio and Indiana today.
CAUSE & OUTCOME
CAUSE # 2
Washington believed control of the west was critical to the safety of America and its settlers.
CAUSE # 1
Native Americans united with the help of the British and were attacking American settlers
It was called “Fallen Timbers” because many trees had been knocked down in the area from a recent storm.
A character named “Mad” Anthony Wayne appeared in two issues of DC Comics as a distant relative of Bruce Wayne, better known as Batman.
His character appeared in two comics World’s Finest # 186 and # 187.
MAD ANTHONY WAYNE
Objective 3: Identify the reasons for the Whiskey Rebellion
The conflict arose over the government’s tax on whiskey, part of Hamilton’s financial plan. From Pennsylvania to Georgia, outraged farmers resisted the tax. For them, whiskey—and the grain it was made from—were important products.
Because of poor roads, backcountry farmers had trouble getting their grain to market. Crops such as wheat and rye were more easily carried to market in liquid form, so farmers made their grain into whiskey.
With little cash to buy goods, let alone pay the tax, farmers often traded whiskey for salt, sugar, and other goods. The farmers used whiskey as money to get whatever supplies they needed.
In the summer of 1794, a group of farmers in western Pennsylvania staged the Whiskey Rebellion against the tax. One armed group beat up a tax collector, coated him with tar and feathers, and stole his horse. Others threatened an armed attack on Pittsburgh.
Washington, urged on by Hamilton, was prepared to enforce the tax and crush the Whiskey Rebellion. They feared that not to act might undermine the new government and weaken its authority. Hamilton condemned the rebels for resisting the law.
In October 1794, President George Washington, General Henry Lee, and Alexander Hamilton, led an army of 13,000 soldiers into western Pennsylvania to put down the uprising. As news of the army’s approach spread, the rebels fled.
After much effort, federal troops rounded up 20 barefoot, ragged prisoners. Washington had proved his point.
Washington had shown that the government had the power and the will to enforce its laws.
What “Point” had
Washington proven?
watch this short video
to help fill in the gaps
NO PROBLEM
SEEING PATTERNS IN HISTORY
What similarities and differences do you see in these two rebellions?
Objective 4: Explain how Washington maintained U.S. neutrality
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, and set out to create a government based on the will of the people. At first, Americans supported the French Revolution. By 1792, however, the revolution had become very violent. Thousands of French citizens were massacred.
Then, in 1793, Louis XVI, the king of France, was executed. Other European monarchs believed the revolution threatened their own thrones. France soon declared war on Britain, Holland, and Spain. Britain led the fight against France.
THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
The war between France and Britain put the United States in an awkward position. France had been America’s ally in the Revolution against the British.
A 1778 treaty still bound the two nations together. In addition, many saw France’s revolution as proof that the American cause had been just.
In April 1793, Washington declared that the United States would remain neutral, not siding with one country or the other. He stated that the nation would be “friendly and impartial” to both sides. Congress then passed a law forbidding the United States to help either side.
A move to crush the French Revolution was an attack on liberty everywhere.
THOMAS JEFFERSON
SECRETARY OF STATE
Britain IS the United States’ most important trading partner, and British trade IS TOO important to risk war.
ALEXANDER HAMILTON
SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY
Britain made it hard for the United States to remain neutral. Late in 1792, the British began seizing the cargoes of American ships carrying goods from the French West Indies.
Washington sent Chief Justice John Jay to England for talks about the seizure of U.S. ships. Jay also hoped to persuade the British to give up their forts on the Northwest frontier. During the talks in 1794, news came of the U.S. victory at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. Fearing another entanglement, the British agreed to leave the Ohio Valley by 1796.
In Jay’s 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, Jay’s Treaty was unpopular.
REASONS ENGLAND
WAS NOT OUR FRIEND
IN THE 1790’s
3 F’s
= Forts, Fur,
and Firearms
#1 - Openly defied the Treaty of Paris and
kept a chain of forts on US soil
#2 - engaged in the fur trade with native
americans
#3 - sold weapons to native americans in
the west
BREAKING THE BAD NEWS
WASHINGTON TELLS THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR THAT AMERICA WILL BE NEUTRAL
VIDEO QUESTIONS
In this scene from the miniseries John Adams President George Washington is talking with the French Ambassador. Looking on are Alexander Hamilton, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
Q #1: What reason does Washington give for remaining neutral?
Q #2: What reason does Alexander Hamilton give for why our treaty with France is no longer binding?
Q #3: How would you describe the attitude of the French following Washington’s announcement?
DEBATING JAY’S TREATY
LOOKS LIKE NOT EVERYONE THOUGHT JAY’S TREATY WAS A GOOD IDEA.
As you will see in this video ratification of Jay’s Treaty was not a sure thing. What the nation realized was that our leaders and America as a whole were not unified on how we should relate to the rest of the world. This, and other issues, will help lead to our first political parties.
Thomas Pinckney helped the United States reduce tensions along the frontier. In 1795, Pinckney’s Treaty with Spain gave Americans the right to travel freely on the Mississippi River. It also gave them the right to store goods at the port of New Orleans without paying customs duties. In addition, Spain accepted the 31st parallel as the northern boundary of Florida and the southern boundary of the United States.