Creating a Continental Nation How Did the United States Settle Its Boundary with British Canada?

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Creating a Continental Nation How did the United States settle its boundary with British Canada?

Foreign Aﬀairs: Sequencing Chart Complete the Sequencing Chart graphic organizer to study how treaties and agreeme signed between the United States and other nations beneﬁted the United States.

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Editable Activity

The War of 1812 between the United States and Britain ended with the Tre of Ghent. The treaty was signed in December 1814. Because it took time fo the news to spread, some fighting continued after the treaty was signed. T treaty did not solve the problems between the two countries. Over the nex several years, the two countries continued to negotiate. To negotiate mean “make a deal and bargain” with another group or person.

James Monroe took charge of these negotiations after he won the presidential election of 1816. He already had a lot of experience as a diplomat. A diplomat is a person who has special skill in managing delicat situations between countries. Under President Jefferson, Monroe had been one of two special agents, or negotiators, responsible for the Louisiana Purchase. He also had served under President Madison. Monroe had been secretary of state and secretary of war during the War of 1812. Monroe w be the last of the Founders to serve as president.

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Soon after taking office, President Monroe signed the Rush-Bagot Agreement. This treaty created a peaceful border in the West between the United States and Canada. It still exists today. In this treaty, the United Stat and Britain each promised to keep no more than two warships on any of t Great Lakes.

The U.S. negotiator of the Rush-Bagot Pact was Richard Rush. He was the head lawyer for the federal government. Monroe had chosen John Quincy Adams to be his secretary of state. Adams was an experienced diplomat. H also was a son of a former president. However, Adams was unable to begi work right away. He was still busy in his work as ambassador to Britain. A ambassador is the highest diplomat sent by one country to deal with anoth Monroe asked Rush to fill in as secretary of state until Adams returned.

The following year, Secretary Adams negotiated the Convention of 1818 w Great Britain. A convention is a formal deal. Until this time, the exact bord between the United States and Canada had been unclear. The 1818 agreem finally settled the question. It stated that the border would be at the 49th parallel, or 49° north latitude, from the Lake of the Woods. This lake is par in Canada and partly in Minnesota. The border between the United States Canada would extend to the edge of the Oregon Country. That land today the states of Washington and Oregon and the Canadian province, or territ of British Columbia. The Oregon Country was a rich source of valuable beaver furs. In the Convention of 1818, Great Britain and the United States agreed to both own the Oregon Country. This treaty helped the United Stat avoid further battles with Great Britain over this region.

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Agreements with Spain How did the United States gain territory from Spain?

In 1819, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams was working on territory negotiations with Spain as well. Spain and the United States each owned parts of Florida. However, the border between the two parts was unclear. Further, the United States was troubled by Seminole attacks on Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama that it blamed on the Spanish.

Two years earlier in 1817, General Andrew Jackson had led U.S. troops into Spanish Florida. During this raid, which became known as the First Seminole War, Jackson captured most of the Florida panhandle. Jackson’s raid had not been ordered or approved by President Monroe. Now that Jackson was in possession of much of Florida, Secretary of State Adams began negotiating with the Spanish official Luis de Onís. Onís agreed to cede Spanish Florida to the United States.

The Adams-Onís Treaty, also called the Transcontinental Treaty, not only dealt with Florida but also said that Spain would give up any claims it had to the Oregon Country. In addition, the treaty established a clear boundary between the United States and Spanish territory at the 42nd parallel, or 42° north latitude. In exchange, the United States gave up any claims to Texas. The United States also agreed to pay $5

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million in Spanish debt. By signing this treaty and the others with Great Britain, the United States now claimed territory from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. It had become a continental nation.

VIDEO SEGMENT Florida By 1819, the United States claimed land from the Atlantic to the Paciﬁc.

VIDEO SEGMENT The Adams-Onís Treaty By signing the Adams-Onís Treaty, the United States and Spain established clear boundaries between their territories in the Southwest and resolved the status of Florida.

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The Monroe Doctrine Why did the United States issue the Monroe Doctrine? What was its impact?

Foreign Aﬀairs: Problem/Solution Chart Complete the Problem/Solution Chart to show the problem Adams and Monroe believe would be solved by the Monroe Doctrine

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Issuing the Monroe Doctrine

James Monroe became president in 1817. At the time, most of South and Central America was still claimed by Spain and Portugal. However, during the next half-dozen years, power shifted in South and Central America. Between 1817 and 1823, a number of countries gained their independence. These countries included Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, and Pe The U.S. government wanted to build relationships with these newly free countries. However, it worried that European nations might try to reconq them. Also, Russia at this time seemed interested in gaining territory in th Northwest. It had already claimed Alaska. Because of these concerns,

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Secretary of State Adams designed a new policy, or plan, to deal with forei nations. This policy came to be known as the Monroe Doctrine. A doctrin a firm principle or policy.

Adams wrote the policy, but Monroe approved it. He presented it in a spee to Congress in December 1823. The speech had two main points. The first that the United States would not interfere, or mix, with the actions of European countries or their colonies in the Western Hemisphere. The seco was that the United States would not accept European nations interfering with the newly independent countries in the Western Hemisphere. Monro warned that any European military action in North or South America wou be seen as a threat to the United States.

he American continents, by the free and independent condi “T which they have assumed and maintain, are henceforth not be considered as subjects for future colonization by any Europea powers. . . . We should consider any attempt on [Europeans’] part extend their system to any portion of this hemisphere as dangero to our peace and safety.

Our policy in regard to Europe, which was adopted at an early sta of the wars which have so long agitated that quarter of the globe nevertheless remains the same, which is, not to interfere in the internal concerns of any of its powers.”

—James Mon

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Impact of the Monroe Doctrine

Great Britain had wanted to issue the doctrine as a partner of the United States. The British wanted to show unity with the United States. Britain believed that the two countries would appear much stronger if they work together. British thought a show of strength would scare Spain from tryin regain its lost territories. However, the United States chose not to work wi Britain. This fact reflects the growing nationalism, or strong national prid that existed in the United States at this time.

Even with the Monroe Doctrine, the United States might not have been abl stop European interference in the Americas without Great Britain’s help. Luckily, the United States did not have to find out for sure. No European powers tried to settle colonies in the Western Hemisphere for nearly 30 ye The doctrine was not challenged. Europeans were busy with their own affairs, or interests, on the other side of the Atlantic. Historians believe th the policy was not seen as especially important at the time. It was not even called the “Monroe Doctrine” until around 1850. This was more than 25 ye after Monroe’s now-famous speech.

The Monroe Doctrine does have historical importance. It established the policy that the United States would use in later years to become active in t Western Hemisphere. It also gave later U.S. leaders goals to aim for and principles to follow as they exercised power in the region in the years to come.

Early Changes in Foreign Policy Think about the foreign policies of presidents Washington through Monroe.

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