HIST 2340-3 - Lecture notes 3 PDF

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US Diplomatic History lecture notes Professor Hershberg...

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HIST 2340-3 1/19/2016 American Foreign Policy Before 1865 The Great Dilemma - 1. Americans believed it was their mission and destiny to transform the globe but… - 2. They still lacked the power to do so - 3. Gap between objectives and capabilities Nation Building at Home (4 main steps of how America accomplished this) - Isolationism: Prevent European influences from corrupting America’s democratic experiment o Isolating America from monarchism and radicalism - Territorial expansion - Keep the European Powers out of America (Decolonization of South America) - Right to a neutral commerce o Insistence on a right to a neutral commerce for America; this would bring the US into conflict with the Europeans during the 19th century o Americans believed, sometimes naively, that they should be entitled to the right to trade freely regardless of their condition James Madison and the Constitution (Federalist No.10) - 1. Republican form of government would be superior to a democracy o Democratic forms of governments are more likely to have factions or fall prey to the “evils of factions”; Republican forms of government are less likely to fall prey because it is easier to get a majority in a democratic form of government o A Republican form of government is a representative system o The greater number of citizens and territory can be accommodated in a republican form of government; James Madison writes about a government that has a capability to expand; build a continental empire - The Federalist papers o During the 1780’s, the Constitution was drafted, but not everyone was in agreement with them o The Federalist Papers were written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison in order to argue for the Constitutions - 2. Extending the sphere: Territory + population o The Perpetuation of American uniqueness depended on its growth George Washington and the Great Dilemma (Farewell Address 1796) - The Constitution has been ratified; GW was in office for two terms - 1. Isolationism

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o Washington wanted the US to become powerful enough to impose its will on other nations; isolating the US and remaining the neutral in order to build up its capabilities over the long-term and bring these capabilities in line with America’s strategic objectives o The US needs to become stronger 2. Neutrality as a means to strength; leaving the door open for America as a superpower => the potential would always exist for the US to expand its institutions 3. Right to peaceful commerce and neutral navigation Washington was a great “unite-er”; it was delivered with conviction and authority; most Americans agreed with the principles that he laid out o Implementing these principles were more difficult than they seemed

Louisiana Purchase - Expand American territory - Pressure put on France - Removed Europeans from the Western Frontier - A problem the Americans used to face was that much of the territories it wanted to expand onto was controlled by Europeans Adams-Onis Treaty (1819) - Concern that other European Powers would take advantage of Spain’s decline - Andrew Jackson’s campaign against the Seminole Indians War of 1812 - 1. The impossibility of neutral trade - 2. British blockades o 1806 the US began implementing retaliatory measures against Britain - 3. Embargo Act => failed effort to reduce American trade - Finally, in 1812, America declared war on Britain o The war produced certain victories like Andrew Jackson’s victory in New Orleans - There were also a lot of failures; the war ended because both sides were exhausted and wanted to return to more normal relations o Burning of the Capitol and new sense of vulnerability o Nation must be more vigilant about its defense o Need for national unity Monroe Doctrine and the Great Dilemma - After the War of 1812, Americans still struggled with fulfilling their obligations while not having the capabilities to do so - The Monroe Doctrine was an interesting way of dealing with this contradiction o In 1815, Prussia, Russia, and Austria created a “New Holy Alliance” after the Napoleonic Wars; this holy alliance set out to restore monarchy and restore revolution

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1. No further European colonization in Western hemisphere o The Monroe Doctrine is a little isolationist

John O’Sullivan and Manifest Destiny - 1. Territorial expansion as the route to national greatness o The idea of territorial expansion and its necessity would only become a stronger part of America’s identity following the Adams-Onis Treaty o During the 19th century, Americans thought that territorial expansion was in line with national greatness - O’Sullivan has an idea that American greatness and territorial expansion are deeply intertwined; expansion is a cause and consequence of natural greatness James K Polk’s Expansion - 1. Acquisition of Oregon; US locked in a dispute with Great Britain o Until the 1830’s, the Americans did not pay attention to Oregon; the development of technology made this territory more attractive - 2. The Mexican War - How would national greatness be achieved and expressed? o These questions were not achieved until after the Civil War...