George Washington's Farewell Address Essay
In his farewell address, George Washington warned the United States that involvement in foreign affairs had the potential to drag the nation into conflicts and other unnecessary involvements with those countries. Washington recommended that, in the best of interests for the American people, the country should remain away from any political interaction with foreign forces. Washington’s words were ignored; however, as the country got itself involved with European nations while seeking its own interests. Throughout the first fifty years in the history of the country go, a large portion of the policy in the United States consisted of protecting the nation from foreign aggressions and increase the country’s wealth. This meant that lawmakers were
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The most notable example of these conflicts is the XYZ affair and the events that led up to it. In 1794, the United States strengthened its ties to Great Britain through the Jay’s treaty. This caused the outrage of the French officials, who deemed this as a betrayal of earlier French-American agreements. As a result, the revolutionary government in France allowed its navy to seize a large number of American merchant ships. In order to solve this situation, the Americans sent diplomats to France. The diplomatic differences that arose in this meeting then became known as the XYZ affair (Nix). The fact that the American government attempted to empower its relationships with the British one was a challenge toward the policy of neutrality and isolationism as the Americans gave certain favoritism Great Britain. Furthermore, the fact that the Americans were becoming so close to a foreign nation allowed for the possibility of America getting dragged into European conflicts, which is one of the problems Washington wanted to avoid. This situation eventually led to the French being aggressive towards the Americans, which nearly dragged America into a military clash with France. The fact that the nation nearly entered a war triggered by European tension exhibits that the United States did not fully hold the
The most notable example of these conflicts is the XYZ affair and the events that led up to it. In 1794, the United States strengthened its ties to Great Britain through the Jay’s treaty. This caused the outrage of the French officials, who deemed this as a betrayal of earlier French-American agreements. As a result, the revolutionary government in France allowed its navy to seize a large number of American merchant ships. In order to solve this situation, the Americans sent diplomats to France. The diplomatic differences that arose in this meeting then became known as the XYZ affair (Nix). The fact that the American government attempted to empower its relationships with the British one was a challenge toward the policy of neutrality and isolationism as the Americans gave certain favoritism Great Britain. Furthermore, the fact that the Americans were becoming so close to a foreign nation allowed for the possibility of America getting dragged into European conflicts, which is one of the problems Washington wanted to avoid. This situation eventually led to the French being aggressive towards the Americans, which nearly dragged America into a military clash with France. The fact that the nation nearly entered a war triggered by European tension exhibits that the United States did not fully hold the