Main Principles
Since the beginning of the XIX century, there has been a rapid territorial growth of the United States. For the United States, relations with Great Britain, which was the main foreign policy competitor of the United States, were of particular importance. In June 1812, the U.S. Congress declared war on Great Britain. On October 20, 1818, the Anglo-American Convention was signed in London, defining the border between the independent USA and the central part of British North America. Relations with France initially developed in a more positive way. February 6, 1778, During the War of Independence, a Franco-American treaty was signed. The Franco-American Treaty of September 30, 1800, ended a long conflict between the two countries, which arose in connection with France’s violation of U.S. neutrality and threatened at one time (1798) even to escalate into war.
Reflective Comments
I assess the foreign policy of the United States before 1861 was not so much bourgeois as slaveholding. I agree with the author’s position regarding the listed reasons for the rapid territorial expansion of the United States. These are the backwardness and fragmentation of Indian tribes and the weakness of neighbors – first, the Spanish colonies and then Mexico. In addition, I would like to note that the clashes and wars of the European powers distracted their forces from the American mainland, which the United States took advantage of. As for the war with Great Britain, I believe that it played a positive role not only for foreign but also for domestic policy. Indeed, the balance of forces in the struggle with England for the Caribbean countries (Central America) has clearly changed in favor of the United States. However, in my opinion, the main consequence is that the victory led to the internal consolidation of the American people as an independent nation.