Jackson vs Jefferson

Emily Rodriguez
History 111
Native American foreign policy 11-9-14

Foreign policy towards the Native American tribes changed significantly from Washington’s administration to Jackson’s administration. During Washington’s presidency, the French Revolution sent a shockwave across the Atlantic, though he remained a neutral standpoint.   Jackson dealt with foreign policy of Native American’s in the US, with a more “hands on way”, creating laws and administrating treaties in which the native American’s had to muddle through. In Knox’s’ historic letter to Washington, he states: “Two modes present themselves, by which the object might perhaps be effected; the first of which is by raising an army, and destroying the resisting tribes entirely, or secondly by forming treaties of peace with them”. (Document A, Secretary of War Knox to George Washington, 1789) This statement which Knox anticipated for Washington, depicts exactly what these two historic figures overcame and accomplished.
During Washington’s period, in 1789, the Revolutionary War was taking a toll on French and England alliance. Washington remained suspicious of any foreign contact, considering the country to be too unstable and weak to fight in a war with a major European power. He insisted on neutrality throughout any foreign arguments. In 1793, there was a bit of an uproar that started with the British when Britain announced that it would seize any ships trading with the French. Civil disorder and chaos erupted in several American cities. The tensions with Britain were so high that Washington had to stop all American shipments overseas. Washington was lead to seek a political solution.
Later on throughout Washington’s trials, he formed treaties—one with Algiers and another with Spain. The agreement with Spain had a much happier outcome for Washington. Florida agreed to stop provoking Native American attacks on settlers. More importantly, Spain approved unrestricted access of the entire...