Foreign Affairs In America example essay topic

After the American Revolution, America was in need of a government system. The Articles of Confederation were unanimously adopted by the 13 colonies in 1781. Once America had setup a legitimate government system, foreign and domestic affairs began to occur more often. Each affair dealt with political and economic issues. These issues ran America through loops on how the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution should be interpreted. From the Constitution to Shays' Rebellion, domestic affairs have much more of an importance than foreign affairs in America at that time.

Issues within America had to do with economic and political problems that arose. After a few years of the Articles of Confederation being instituted, people started realizing its faults. There came a need for a new, strong central government. This in turn led to the writing of the Constitution. This "living" document set America into motion towards its strong central government that it badly needed. Some domestic affairs weren't as prosperous or calm as the writing of the Constitution.

One of which was Shays' Rebellion, Led by Captain Daniel Shays who was a war veteran who did not receive pay for his service to America and who was violently placed into debt once he returned home from war. Several other impoverished farmers took arms with Shays to close all of the courts that were incarcerating the other farmers. These farmers demanded cheap paper money and lighter taxes upon their shoulders. Several years after Shays' Rebellion, the national debt had grown to an immense $75 million. Alexander Hamilton, Treasury Secretary, proposed a Bank of the United States. This bank would print badly needed paper money and provide a stable national currency.

Hamilton battled Jefferson for whom the bank should be controlled by; Hamilton for Congress and Jefferson for the states. President Washington reluctantly signed the bank measure to law in 1791. The northern states desired the banks, but the southern states did not. This in result began the division of the North and the South. America after the adoption of the Articles of Confederation also had to deal with many foreign affairs as well. Foreign affairs were not as relevant, but definitely still occurred in America.

Right after Washington's inauguration, the French Revolution had started. Its impact upon the entire world was felt. France still remembered the Franco-American alliance of 1778 and held America up to it. They wished America to charge into the conflict against Britain, to repay the debt to France. Washington noticed how weak America's military was and issued the Neutrality Proclamation in 1793. This declared America to be neutral towards the conflict.

This was not truly the wishes of America, but it was definitely a wise choice. During America's neutrality, Britain seized about 300 American merchant ships. American citizens demanded reaction towards the attacks. Washington sent his Chief Justice John Jay to London in 1794; his mission was to come to some sort of agreement with Britain. The British eventually agreed to pay for the damages to American ships, this foreshadowed an Anglo-American alliance. Many countries are very arrogant and selfish.

They don't care about other countries as much as their own. Countries put their own well being at the top of their priorities before others. Issues within a country are definitely solved as quickly as possible other than foreign affairs. America had many more domestic affairs than foreign affairs between the years of 1781-1796. Each issue dealt with America's political and economic balance. Domestic issues which include the writing of the Constitution, the Bank of the Unites States, and Shays' Rebellion definitely had much more of an importance in America.