Foreign Affairs in the Young Nation

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the key concepts, foreign policies, symbols, conflicts, and figures from early U.S. history found in the 8th Grade Social Studies study guide.

Neutrality

Not taking sides or helping either side in a war between other nations.

Isolationism

A policy of avoiding alliances with other countries and staying out of their affairs.

Embargo

A complete halt in trade with other nations.

Blockade

Using warships to close off a port so ships and goods cannot get in or out.

Monroe Doctrine

Monroe's 1823 foreign policy warning European powers not to establish new colonies or interfere in North and South America.

Alliance

An agreement between nations to aid and support each other.

Tribute

Money paid to someone in exchange for protection.

Impressment

The practice of kidnapping sailors and forcing them to serve in a navy.

War Hawks

Young congressmen from the South and West, such as Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun, who wanted war with Great Britain to drive the British out of Canada and make the frontier safe.

The Great Seal of the United States

An official emblem approved by Congress in 1782 used to mark government approval of important documents and displayed on the $1 bill.

E PLURIBUS UNUM

A Latin motto on the Great Seal meaning "From many, one," symbolizing many separate states joining together to form one nation.

Olive Branch and Arrows

Symbols on the Great Seal representing peace and war, respectively; the eagle faces the olive branch to show that peace comes first.

Unfinished Pyramid

A symbol on the Great Seal that represents strength and endurance.

Washington's Farewell Address

George Washington's final message in office warning the U.S. to stay clear of permanent alliances, establishing the foreign policy of isolationism.

Jay Treaty (1794)

An agreement in which the British agreed to pull their troops from the Ohio Valley and stop attacking U.S. ships, which France viewed as a betrayal.

XYZ Affair

An incident where French secret agents X, Y, and Z demanded tribute before peace talks could begin, sparking the American response: "Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute!"

Chesapeake-Leopard Affair (1807)

An incident where a British warship attacked an American naval vessel, killing or wounding 21 American sailors.

Stephen Decatur

An American naval officer who burned the captured U.S. warship Philadelphia during the conflict with the Barbary pirates of Tripoli.

Embargo Act (1807)

A law passed under President Jefferson that stopped all foreign trade, resulting in about 55,000 American sailors and sea workers losing their jobs before it was repealed in 1809.

Battle of Tippecanoe (1811)

A conflict where Shawnee warriors were found to be equipped with British guns, escalating tensions between the U.S. and Great Britain.

Battle of Lake Erie (1813)

A naval victory on September 10, 1813, during the War of 1812 in which Oliver Hazard Perry captured a British fleet.

Treaty of Ghent (1814)

The peace agreement signed on December 24, 1814, that ended the War of 1812, settling none of the original issues that started the war.

Battle of New Orleans (1815)

A major American victory led by Andrew Jackson on January 8, 1815, fought after the peace treaty had already been signed due to slow transatlantic communication.

John Quincy Adams

Monroe's Secretary of State who advised that the United States should speak boldly for itself rather than issuing a joint warning with Great Britain to European powers.