In 1789, the French Revolution began. The centuries-old French monarchy was overthrown amid calls for liberty, equality, and fraternity. By 1793, the Revolution had taken a radical turn, the Reign of Terror, during which the monarch was executed along with hundreds of other accused counterrevolutionaries. Many Americans feared that French radicalism might spread to the United States. Others argued that the United States should aid France, a powerful ally to the colonies during the Revolutionary War in its wars against European monarchies. The 1778 Treaty of Alliance, which declared the United States a perpetual ally of France, was called into question.
"The Storming of the Bastille, 14 July 1789."
—Thomas Jefferson to General Washington, Paris, December 4, 1788
—Hamilton on the French Revolution, 1794
In his Farewell Address, George Washington warned the nation to avoid permanent alliances with foreign nations and to rely instead on temporary alliances for emergencies. “It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliance with any portion of the foreign world.” Who do you think would have supported Washington’s position, Jefferson or Hamilton?
Jefferson served as the American minister to the French monarchy as the French Revolution got underway in the late 1780s. In 1789, he returned to the United States to assume the position of secretary of state. He felt that the United States should repay France in kind during its Revolution, support them, and honor the 1778 Treaty of Alliance. Though Jefferson denounced the atrocities of Robespierre and other French radicals, he continued his support for the French Revolution and the republic that he was sure would rise out of the chaos. He believed that the French Revolution embodied the same principles for which the American Revolution was fought.
Hamilton supported the moderate phase of the Revolution, which was understood to be about U.S.-style liberty, but opposed the attacks on security, property, and life that occurred during the Reign of Terror. In addition, as secretary of the Treasury, Hamilton was hesitant to take on more debt by getting involved in a European war, despite the alliance with France. He argued that the Treaty of Alliance was invalid because it was made with a French government that no longer existed.
Use the fifth row of the chart below to summarize Jefferson’s and Hamilton’s position on whether the United States should support the French Revolution. Provide at least one reason to explain why each man held the position that he did.