Chapter 9: A New National Identity

The United States and Great Britain settled their disputes over boundaries and control of waterways

The United States gained Florida in an agreement with Spain.

With the Monroe Doctrine, the United States strengthened its relationship with Latin America.

The United States peacefully settled disputes with foreign powers.

Unresolved issues with Great Britain: U.S and British Canada both wanted to keep their navies and fishing rights on the Great Lakes.

Rush-Bagot Agreement: limited naval power on the Great Lakes for both the United States and British Canada.

Convention of 1818: Set fishing rights of parts of the Newfoundland and Labrador coasts and set the border between the US and Canada at 49° N latitude as far west as the Rocky Mountains.

Dispute over southern border with Spanish Florida.

President James Monroe sent U.S. troops to secure the U.S. Florida border, Andrew Jackson led these soldiers.

U.S. had conflict with the Seminole Indians in Florida as well.

Seminoles often helped runaway slaves and sometimes raided U.S. settlements.

April 1818, Jackson's troops invaded Florida to capture Seminole raiders.

The First Seminole War: Jackson took over most of Spain's important military posts and overthrew the governor of Florida.

Jackson did not receive orders to do this from Monroe.

Spanish leaders were forced to negotiate.

Adams-Onis Treaty: settled border disputes between Spain and the United States.

Spain gave East Florida to the U.S. and the U.S. gave up its claims to what is now Texas.

U.S. agreed to pay up to $5 million of U.S. citizens' claims against Spain.

Simon Bolivar "the liberator" led Spanish colonies in the Americas in a fight for independence.

Americans supported the Spanish because it reminded them of the American Revolution.

Mexico broke free from Spain in 1821 and Monroe feared that rival European powers may try to take control of newly independent Latin American countries.

Monroe was also concerned about Russian interest in the northwest coast of North America.

Vice President: John Quincy Adams stated that the US did not want to be involved in wars or fight in newly independent countries battles.

Monroe Doctrine: an exclusive statement of American policy warning European powers not to interfere with the Americas.

The US would not interfere in the affairs of European nations.

The US would recognize, and not interfere with, European colonies that already existed in North and South America.

The Western Hemisphere was to be off-limits to future colonization by any foreign power.

The US would consider any European power's attempt to colonize or interfere with nations in the Western Hemisphere to be a hostile act.

European countries criticized it but did not challenge it.

The US continued to consider Latin American within its sphere of influence.

U.S. intervenes in Latin American affairs when in its own interests.