American Studies Mr. Carlson

Jay’s Treaty

This treaty, known officially as the "Treaty of Amity Commerce and Navigation, between His Britannic Majesty; and The United States of America" attempted to diffuse the tensions between England and the United States that had risen to renewed heights since the end of the Revolutionary War. The U.S. government objected to English military posts along America's northern and western borders and Britain's violation of American neutrality. By 1794 the Royal Navy had seized more than 250 American ships in the West Indies during England's war with France. President Washington sent Supreme Court Chief Justice John Jay to England with instructions to negotiate a solution to these issues. The outcome of those negotiations became known to the American people as Jay’s Treaty and was signed by Britain's King George III on November 19, 1794 in London.

The agreement called for Britain to pay damages for seized American ships and they agreed to give up the British forts still held in the Western territories. In exchange, Americans had to pay debts that had been owed to British merchants since the Revolutionary War. Many Americans were angry that Jay’s Treaty did nothing to protect the rights of neutral American ships because Britain never agreed to stop seizing them. Even before Jay returned to America, angry rumors circulated speculating that the treaty he negotiated favored the British at the expense of American interests. After Jay returned home with news of the treaty's signing, Washington, now in his second term, encountered fierce Congressional opposition to the treaty; by 1795, its ratification was uncertain.

Leading the opposition to the treaty were two future presidents: Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. At the time, Jefferson was in between political positions: he had just completed a term as Washington's secretary of state from 1789 to 1793 and had not yet become John Adams' vice president. Fellow Virginian James Madison was a member of the House of Representatives. Jefferson, Madison and other opponents feared the treaty gave too many compromises to the British. They argued that Jay's negotiations actually weakened American trade rights and complained that it promised the U.S. would repay pre-revolutionary debts to English merchants. Washington himself was not completely satisfied with the treaty, but considered preventing another war Britain a more important priority.

Following two months of bitter debate, the treaty was approved by Congress on August 14, 1795, with exactly the two-thirds majority it needed to pass. When one senator leaked the still-secret agreement to the press, angry mobs accused senators of signing a "death warrant to America’s liberties." Those in the Senate who had voted against the treaty became heroes. Washington signed the treaty four days later. Washington and Jay may have won the legislative battle and averted war temporarily, but the conflict at home showed growing division between those with different political beliefs in Washington, D.C. This split helped define America’s first political parties—the Federalists, who approved the treaty, and the Jeffersonian Republicans, who disapproved. Jefferson and Madison were suspicious of Washington for wanting friendly relations with England instead of helping France, who wanted the U.S. as a partner in their war against England. American Studies Mr. Carlson

The Embargo Act of 1807

In 1803, England and France went to war again. This war lasted for years and caused a great deal of trouble for the United States.

Both France and England wanted to prevent ships from carrying supplies to the other. United States ships were stopped and searched. The English also impressed American sailors claiming them as deserters from the British navy (which some were). These sailors were then taken off American ships and forced to fight in the British navy. Many Americans viewed these actions as a direct insult to the United States. The British had no right to board neutral American ships without permission from the government. Many people in the U.S. felt that war should be declared against England.

Jefferson did not want war. He had a simple solution to the problem of impressment. He believed one way to stay out of war was to keep our ships off the ocean. The British could not seize American ships and sailors if they were safely home in port.

In 1807, Jefferson helped pass a law that declared an embargo on trade with foreign countries. American ships were banned from sailing to any foreign port. Ships of other nations were not allowed to enter American ports. This law was called the Embargo Act. Jefferson hoped that the lack of American supplies might force England and France to make peace. At the least, he hoped that they might agree to stop interfering with American ships.

The Embargo Act was a failure. It did not stop the war. Instead, England and France found other sources for the goods they needed. The Embargo Act caused problems in the United States. It hurt the business of merchants in the Northeast. Many turned to smuggling to keep avoid ruin. It caused unemployment to rise, as sailors, ship builders and other workers lost their jobs. The loss of foreign markets for crops hurt farmers, too.

The Embargo Act was ended in 1809, the same year Jefferson left office. It would be up to the next President to solve the problem of impressment.

American Studies Mr. Carlson

Name ______Period _____

Jay's Treaty

1. What did Jay's Treaty try to resolve? Who negotiated the treaty?

2. As a result of this treaty, what did the British agree to do? What did Americans agree to do?

3. How did Congress react to the treaty? Who supported it?

4. Who was against it and why?

5. What was the public opinion of this treaty? What does this conflict show us about the divisions that were starting to form in American politics?

American Studies Mr. Carlson The Embargo Act

6. What was impressment and why was it happening? How did Americans react to it?

7. What did Jefferson hope to accomplish with the Embargo Act of 1807?

8. Was the Embargo Act a success? Why or why not?

9. Explain whether or not the Embargo Act goes along with or violates the Republican principles of Jefferson and his political party.