Part 24 (1/2)

Often the little band was without food for two days at a time. But Pike pushed on, in spite of hunger, cold, and suffering, and at last saw, through a gap in the mountains, the waters of the Rio Grande. Believing that it was the Red, he hurried to its banks, only to be seized by the Spaniards (for he was on Spanish soil), who carried him a prisoner to Santa Fe, from which city he and his men wandered back to the United States by way of Mexico and Texas.

[Ill.u.s.tration: %EXPLORATION OF THE SOUTHWEST% BY ZEBULON M. PIKE %1806-1807%]

%249. Astoria founded.%--The immediate effect of these explorations was greatly to stimulate the fur trade. One great fur trader, John Jacob Astor of New York, now founded the Pacific Fur Company and made preparations to establish a line of posts from the upper Missouri to the Columbia, and along it to the Pacific, and supply them from St. Louis by way of the Missouri, or from the mouth of the Columbia, where in 1811 a little trading post was begun and named Astoria. This completed our claim to the Oregon country. Gray had discovered the river; Lewis and Clark had explored the territory drained by the river; the Pacific Fur Company planted the first lasting settlement.

SUMMARY

1. In 1793 France made war on Great Britain. The United States was bound by the treaty of alliance of 1778 to ”guarantee” the French possessions in America.

2. This treaty, and the coming of the French minister, forced Was.h.i.+ngton to declare the United States neutral in the war.

3. His proclamation of neutrality was resented by the Republicans, who now became sympathizers with France. The Federalists, who were strongest in the commercial states, became the anti-French or English party.

4. When France declared war on England, she opened her ports in the West Indies to the merchant trade of the United States.

5. England held that we should not have a trade with France when at war, for we had not had it when France was at peace. This was an application of the ”Rule of 1756.” In 1793-1794, therefore, England began to seize our s.h.i.+ps coming from the French ports.

6. This so excited the Republicans that they attempted to force the country into war with England.

7. To prevent war, Was.h.i.+ngton sent Jay to London, where he made our first commercial treaty with Great Britain.

8. This offended the French Directory, who refused to receive our new minister and sent him out of France.

9. War with France now seemed likely. But Adams, in the interest of peace, sent three commissioners to Paris to make a new treaty. They were met with demands for tribute and came home.

10. The greatest excitement now prevailed in the country. The Navy Department was created, a navy was built by the people, and a provisional army raised. The old French treaties were suspended, and a naval war began.

11. The popular anger against the Republicans (the French party) gave the Federalists control of Congress, whereupon they pa.s.sed the Alien and Sedition laws.

12. Against these Virginia and Kentucky protested in a set of resolutions.

13. In the election of 1800 the Federalists were defeated, and the Republicans secured control of the Federal government.

14. In 1800 Spain ceded Louisiana to France, whereupon the Spanish official at New Orleans shut the Mississippi to American commerce.

15. The whole West cried out against this and demanded war. But Jefferson offered to buy West Florida from France. Napoleon thereupon offered to sell all Louisiana, and we bought it (1803).

16. The new territory as yet had no boundaries; but it was explored in the northwest by Lewis and Clark, and in the southwest by Pike.

17. The discovery of the Columbia River in 1792, the exploration of the country by Lewis and Clark, and the founding of Astoria established our claim to the Oregon country.

FRANCE A REPUBLIC, 1792.

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________________ DECLARES WAR ON ENGLAND (1793).

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Opens her ports

to neutral trade. Sends a minister to the United States.

------------------------- --------------------------------------- 1. England a.s.serts rule This brought up the questions: of 1756. 1. Shall he be received?--Yes.

2. Seizes our s.h.i.+ps in 2. Is the old alliance applicable the West Indies. to offensive war?--No.

3. Impresses our sailors. 3. Shall the United States

be neutral?--Yes.

Was.h.i.+ngton issues a proclamation

of neutrality.

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Struggle for neutrality.

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