Jays Treaty Pinckneys Treaty Essay Sample

Jays Treaty Pinckneys Treaty Essay Sample The end of the 18th century was marked as a turbulent period in the history of the human kind. It is the time associated with the French revolution and beginning of industrialization, both of which meant an advent of a new era. Meanwhile, in the United States, shortly after the independence was proclaimed, the Whiskey Rebellion, Jay’s Treaty and Pickney’s treaty were the important events which influenced the American internal and external affairs. The Whiskey rebellion was sparked off by an unpopular excise tax on whiskey introduced by the secretary of the treasury Alexander Hamilton in 1790 and ratified by the Congress in 1791. Farmers who produced whiskey were forced to pay taxes on liquor under the government’s policy to settle the national debt by raising money from tax on import and production of alcohol. Small farmers in the West strongly opposed to the introduction. For the poor people whiskey was a substitute for the currency and a means of livelihood. Unlike the eastern large distilleries that received tax exemption, famers in Pennsylvania could barely make ends meet. First they filed petitions against the law, then refused to pay the tax, and by 1794 became rebellious. In July of the same year they attacked a house of the tax inspector and burnt it down. As a result, George Washington gathered an army comprising the militia from the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia, and personally led the 13000 troops into the area. No battle took place because the rebels scattered. However, this was a significant event. It proved that the new government was resolute and capable of oppressing the opposition to the laws that were enforced at that time. The American society approved of Washington’s actions. But rebels were not the only Washington’s concern. Apart from the internal agitations, he was facing a by far graver situation in relations with Britain. The British navy continuously seized American cargo ships in the Caribbean and Atlantic. Nearly 250 merchant ships were captured by the Royal Navy. Moreover, British troops stayed in the western ports of the US borders to protect their trade interests and as a response to the refusal of the States to pay off debts. They also feared that Americans could invade Canada again. George Washington did not want to wage a war on Britain, and for that reason he sent Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Jay to negotiate terms of a treaty. An agreement that was mutually beneficial was signed on 19 November 1794 in London. It stipulated that merchants from the United States and from Britain had equal access of land on their side of the border. Britain paid for the damage done to the US ships while the United States paid off the pre-war revolutionary debts to Great Britain. The British soldiers were to be removed from the American ports by June 1st 1796. The border issues between Canada and the US were to be resolved by a special committee. The treaty became commonly known as Jays Treaty, and it helped to avoid the impending conflict between the two nations. Pinckney’s Treaty was yet another attempt to get along with another American neighbor â€" Spain. It was signed on October 27th, 1795 and resolved territorial issues between the two countries. Previously American farmers had been denied access to the Mississippi river because Spain was afraid the United States could invade their territory. The Spanish also mustered support of the native Indian tribes against America. As a result of signing Pinckney’s Treaty United States got a right to navigate the Mississippi river, and other border disputes were resolved. By signing the document America committed to alliance with Spain which was weakened by a continuous war with France. The events outlined above helped the government to establish its strength and earn support from the local citizens, encouraged westward expansion and put the United States in a stronger position on the international level while avoiding a possible military conflict with Britain. All of the described is evidence to George Washington’s willpower and a wise international policy that became cornerstone of strength of the United States of America.