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Name
Class
CHAPTER
6
S
ECTION
READING CHECK
Which event set Americans
against France?
VOCABULARY STRATEGY
Find the word unify in the
underlined sentence. What do
you think it means? What do you
think Washington’s goal was
during this time? Circle any
words or phrases in the
paragraph that help you figure
out what unify means.
READING SKILL
Identify Supporting Details How
did the election of 1800 lead to a
constitutional amendment?
2
Date
Section Summary
THE STRUGGLE OVER FOREIGN POLICY
As President, Washington helped unify the country during the
difficult times of the early 1790s. In 1791, British guns helped
Native Americans, led by war chief Little Turtle, crush an
American force. Britain hoped to limit American settlement.
But in 1794, federal troops defeated the Miami Confederacy at
the Battle of Fallen Timbers. The Treaty of Greenville gave
most of present-day Ohio to the United States.
In 1793, leaders of the French Revolution declared war on
the monarchies of Europe. As a result, Britain and France were
at war. President Washington issued a proclamation of
American neutrality. The British navy tested that neutrality by
seizing American ships in the West Indies. Washington sent
Chief Justice John Jay to negotiate a treaty with the British.
The United States also signed a treaty with Spain. Spain
controlled the Mississippi River and New Orleans. The treaty
gave Americans shipping rights and access to New Orleans.
In 1796, the French began seizing U.S. ships. President
Adams sent envoys to Paris. But three French officials, known
as X, Y, and Z, demanded humiliating terms. The XYZ Affair
set Americans against France.
Arguing that criticism undermined trust in the government, the Federalists passed the Alien and Sedition Acts.
Virginia and Kentucky, Democratic Republican states, passed
the Virginia and Kentucky resolutions. They said the Sedition
Act was unconstitutional.
In 1800, Adams lost the presidential election. Jefferson and
his running mate, Aaron Burr, received the same number of
electoral votes. The voters had meant for Jefferson to become
President and Burr to become Vice President. However, the
Constitution did not allow separate votes for each office. The
House of Representatives decided that Jefferson would become
President. In 1804, the Constitution was amended to require
electors to vote separately for President and Vice President.
Review Questions
1. Why did the British supply guns to Native Americans
in 1791?
2. How did the treaty with Spain benefit the United States?
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