French+Revolution+Alexander+Hamilton+P1

__Summary of the French Revolution:__ The movement that shook France from 1787 and 1799 was the French Revolution, and reached its climax in 1789. In its climax the Revolution quickly spread throughout France as a direct result of years and years of political decline and widespread discontent. The solutions to France's problems were very diverse ranging from pure democracy to complete monarchy, but they agreed on greater cultural and religious freedom,a type of representative government, and greater equality under the law. Due to the wars in the middle of the 18th century and French involvement against the British in the American Revolution, France's economy was in economic depression. Due to the declining social and economic conditions the majority of the peasant population was faced with severe poverty, starvation, and disease. __Alexander Hamilton's Viewpoints__ - Hamilton’s views on the French Revolution During the period between 1789 and 1799 the French Revolution took place causing the U.S. to make a hard decision. Should the U.S. support France during its war with Great Britain? This political issue was long debated between Federalist and Democratic Republican parties. At the forefront, Alexander Hamilton expressed his views on the French Revolution. Hamilton was essentially a businessman so his decisions were based on the greater good of the United States. Not only did Hamilton disagree with the French Revolution but he also thought the cause to be unworthy. The French Revolution angered Hamilton because he believed that the French were not fighting for a cause nearly as noble as the Americans fought for during the American Revolution. After news of the French Revolution reached America, Hamilton started to voice his opinion. In a letter to George Washington he said, “Do not prognosticate much order or vigour in the affairs of that country for a considerable period to come” This meant that Hamilton did not see the same organization and revolutionary spirit that he saw in the Americans during their fight for independence. France had originally aided the Americans during their own revolution so this led many political figures to believe that the U.S. should reciprocate by aiding the French in their struggle to create a new government. Hamilton saw this as a threat to the U.S. because involvement in a foreign dispute could lead to another war with France’s enemies: Britain, Holland, and Spain. Fighting another war this soon after the American Revolution would be extremely costly to the still developing nation. Because of this, Hamilton wanted the U.S. to remain neutral during the conflict. One important quote that Hamilton used in his argument was "render treaties that before subsisted between it and another nation useless or dangerous or hurtful to that other nation, it is a plain dictate of reason, that the //latter// will have a right to renounce those treaties . . . to take care of its own happiness." This pretty much means that nations in turmoil, in other words, have no right to drag other nations into their wars. __Questions:​__
 * Why would Jefferson support Edmund Genet if his actions could lead to another dispute with Great Britain?
 * Supporting the French could also lead to a war with Great Britain. There would not be enough resources to support another war. How would supporting the French benefit the U.S.?