Key Notes on U.S. Foreign Policy, Acts & Laws, and Government Crises

Foreign Policy 1763-1820

• Treaty of Paris (1763)

  • Ended the French and Indian War.

  • Ceded all French lands in North America to Britain.

  • Britain gained control over everything east of the Mississippi River.

• Treaty of Paris (1783)

  • Ended the Revolutionary War in America.

  • Recognized the United States as an independent nation.

  • Set territorial boundaries: Great Lakes, Mississippi River, Spanish Florida.

  • Florida was returned to Spain.

• Jay's Treaty (1794)

  • A negotiated treaty with Britain to address maritime conflicts.

  • Attempted to curtail British involvement in Indian attacks.

  • Britain agreed to evacuate U.S. western frontier posts.

  • An unpopular treaty due to limited concessions regarding ship seizures.

• Pinckney Treaty (1795)

  • Established trade rights for Americans on the Mississippi River.

  • Granted the right of deposit at New Orleans.

  • Established Florida's northern boundary at 31°.

• Washington's Farewell Address (1796)

  • Warned against forming strong affiliations with foreign nations.

  • Advised against political parties and permanent alliances.

• Louisiana Purchase (1803)

  • Purchased from France for $15,000,000.

  • Initially intended to secure just the port of New Orleans.

  • Jefferson viewed the purchase as unconstitutional but proceeded.

• Embargo Act (1807)

  • Forbade all American ships from leaving port.

  • Intended to damage British trade in response to maritime violations.

  • Resulted in a brief economic depression.

• Non-Intercourse Act (1808)

  • Modified the Embargo Act; trade forbidden only with Britain and France.

  • Restored trade with all nations barring Britain and France.

  • Conditional on either nation respecting U.S. neutral rights.

• Treaty of Ghent (1814)

  • Ended the War of 1812.

  • Territories restored to pre-war boundaries.

• Rush-Bagot Agreement (1817)

  • First disarmament agreement between the U.S. and Britain.

  • Prevented both nations from maintaining armed fleets in the Great Lakes.

• Treaty of 1818

  • Fixed U.S.-British border along the 49° parallel.

  • Joint occupation of Oregon for 10 years.

• Adams-Onis Treaty (1819)

  • Spain ceded Florida to the United States.

  • Established western boundary of the Louisiana Purchase.

  • U.S. relinquished claims to Texas and assumed $5,000,000 in claims against Spain.

Acts & Laws 1850-1890

• Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)

  • Created Kansas and Nebraska territories with slavery decided by popular sovereignty.

  • Overturned the Missouri Compromise.

• Homestead Act (1862)

  • Allowed heads of families to acquire 160 acres in new territories with a low fee.

  • Requirement to live on the land for 5 years.

• Pacific Railway Act (1862)

  • Authorized land and money subsidies for constructing a transcontinental railroad.

• Morrill Land Grant Act (1862)

  • Provided agricultural colleges with land grants.

• Wade-Davis Bill (1864)

  • Proposed loyalty oaths for Reconstruction; majority of voters from 1860 to take an oath of allegiance.

  • Vetoed by Lincoln.

• Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890)

  • Prevented monopolistic practices in trade.

  • Found unconstitutional in the E.C. Knight case.

Acts & Laws 1774-1850

• Land Ordinance Act (1785)

  • Surveyed western territories into townships before sale.

  • Each township divided into 36 sections.

• Northwest Ordinance (1787)

  • Set rules for territory governance, outlawed slavery in the Old Northwest.

• Alien & Sedition Acts (1798)

  • Alien Act: Increased residency requirement for citizenship from 5 to 14 years.

  • Sedition Act: Restricted criticism of the government.

• Missouri Compromise (1820)

  • Balanced free and slave state admission; divided the Louisiana Purchase at the 36°30' parallel.

• Compromise of 1850 (1850)

  • Admitted California as a free state and addressed issues stemming from Mexican Cession.

  • Included the Fugitive Slave Act.

Government Crises

• Nullification Crisis (1832-1833)

  • Resulted from the "Tariff of Abominations."

  • South Carolina attempted to nullify federal tariffs; met with President Jackson's Force Bill reinstating tax collection.

• Venezuelan Boundary Dispute (1893-1895)

  • Conflict over British Guiana; Britain respected the Monroe Doctrine.

• Iran Hostage Crisis (1979)

  • Iranian revolutionaries took U.S. embassy hostages; hostages released once Shah had died.

• Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

  • Kennedy addressed Soviet missiles in Cuba, resulting in their removal under agreement with Khrushchev.

• Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961)

  • Failed CIA-led invasion of Cuba to dethrone Castro.