Chapter 9: A New National Identity

Chapter 9: A New National Identity

Section 1: American Foreign Policy

Main Ideas:

• The United States and Great Britain settled their disputes over boundaries and control of waterways

• The United States gained Florida in an agreement with Spain.

• With the Monroe Doctrine, the United States strengthened its relationship with Latin America.

• The United States peacefully settled disputes with foreign powers.

Settling Disputes with Great Britain

• Unresolved issues with Great Britain: U.S and British Canada both wanted to keep their navies and fishing rights on the Great Lakes.

• Rush-Bagot Agreement: limited naval power on the Great Lakes for both the United States and British Canada.

• Convention of 1818: Set fishing rights of parts of the Newfoundland and Labrador coasts and set the border between the US and Canada at 49° N latitude as far west as the Rocky Mountains.

United States Gains Florida

• Dispute over southern border with Spanish Florida.

• President James Monroe sent U.S. troops to secure the U.S. Florida border, Andrew Jackson led these soldiers.

• U.S. had conflict with the Seminole Indians in Florida as well.

• Seminoles often helped runaway slaves and sometimes raided U.S. settlements.

United States Gains Florida

• April 1818, Jackson's troops invaded Florida to capture Seminole raiders.

• The First Seminole War: Jackson took over most of Spain's important military posts and overthrew the governor of Florida.

• Jackson did not receive orders to do this from Monroe.

• Spanish leaders were forced to negotiate.

United States Gains Florida

• Adams-Onis Treaty: settled border disputes between Spain and the United States.

• Spain gave East Florida to the U.S. and the U.S. gave up its claims to what is now Texas.

• U.S. agreed to pay up to $5 million of U.S. citizens' claims against Spain.

Monroe Doctrine

• Simon Bolivar "the liberator" led Spanish colonies in the Americas in a fight for independence.

• Americans supported the Spanish because it reminded them of the American Revolution.

• Mexico broke free from Spain in 1821 and Monroe feared that rival European powers may try to take control of newly independent Latin American countries.

• Monroe was also concerned about Russian interest in the northwest coast of North America.

Monroe Doctrine

• Vice President: John Quincy Adams stated that the US did not want to be involved in wars or fight in newly independent countries battles.

• Monroe Doctrine: an exclusive statement of American policy warning European powers not to interfere with the Americas.

Monroe Doctrine: Four Basic Points

• The US would not interfere in the affairs of European nations.

• The US would recognize, and not interfere with, European colonies that already existed in North and South America.

• The Western Hemisphere was to be off-limits to future colonization by any foreign power.

• The US would consider any European power's attempt to colonize or interfere with nations in the Western Hemisphere to be a hostile act.

The Monroe Doctrine

• European countries criticized it but did not challenge it.

• The US continued to consider Latin American within its sphere of influence.

• U.S. intervenes in Latin American affairs when in its own interests.