Foreign Affairs and the Founding Fathers: From Confederation to Constitution, 1776-1787

by Norman A. Graebner, Richard Dean Burns, Joseph M. Siracusa

Overview

This concise diplomatic history of the Confederation era is the first new work on the topic in a generation. In its pages, three distinguished diplomatic historians offer a realist interpretation of the way in which the Founding Fathers conducted foreign affairs, refreshing our collective memory about their priorities and their values.

• Two maps relative to the Confederation period

• A bibliography

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313398261
Publisher:	ABC-CLIO, Incorporated
Publication date:	10/31/2011
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	199
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.40(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Norman A. Graebner, PhD, was emeritus professor at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA. Graebner was the author, coauthor, or editor of more than 30 books, including ABC-CLIO's America and the Cold War, 1941–1991: A Realist Interpretation, written with Richard Dean Burns and Joseph M. Siracusa. Graebner passed away in 2010 at the age of 94.

Richard Dean Burns, PhD, is professor emeritus at California State University, Los Angeles, CA. His published works include the internationally recognized Guide to American Foreign Relations since 1700 and ABC-CLIO's three-volume Encyclopedia of Arms Control and Disarmament.

Joseph M. Siracusa, PhD, is professor of human security and international diplomacy and associate dean of international and justice studies at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Australia. His published works include ABC-CLIO's Reagan, Bush, Gorbachev: Revisiting the End of the Cold War.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Prologue: The Challenge of External Relations xi

1 America Enters the International Community 1

2 The Challenge of Independence 21

3 American Diplomats Engage Britain and France 41

4 American Diplomats Engage the Barbary Pirates and Spain 63

5 The Crisis of 1786: Call for Constitutional Revision 85

6 External Relations and the Constitution, 1787 103

7 The Ratification Debate: How Important Is Foreign Policy? 123

Epilogue 147

Notes 155

Selected References 181

Index 189

What People are Saying About This

Wilson D. Miscamble

"The distinguished trio of diplomatic historians—Norman Graebner, Richard Dean Burns, and Joseph Siracusa—bring their valued realist perspective and their penetrating insight to bear on the diplomacy of the Confederation era in this notable and accessible book. They demonstrate convincingly how important the disputes over external relations proved to be both in prompting the need for a new constitution and in shaping the contours of it."

Scott Kaufman

"An excellent account of the central role played by commerce in post-Revolution U.S. foreign policy and the debates that led to the Constitution. A must-read for anyone seeking to understand the underpinnings of American government."

Ian J. Bickerton

"These highly informative, thought-provoking essays, based on the extensive records of the founding generation, are full of rich, little-known, details which are decidedly relevant in the twenty-first century. This outstanding, beautifully crafted, book should be read by all who care about the United States and its role in world affairs."

Thomas A. Schwartz

"Foreign Affairs and the Founding Fathers is a succinct and readable treatment of the complex issues and debates which surrounded the crafting of the Constitution's approach to foreign affairs. Based on extensive research in primary sources, the authors illuminate clearly the struggle to reconcile the American belief in liberty and fear of centralized power with the need for a stronger central government to protect and assert the national interest in a hostile world. Readers wanting a clear and fair-minded understanding of the dilemmas the Founding Fathers faced, and the way they hoped for America to engage with the international community, should enthusiastically embrace this book."

Editorial Reviews

Foreign Affairs and the Founding Fathers is a short, wellwritten, and engaging narrative that uses the available primary sources to good effect. Based on early essays, lectures, and scholarly articles by the late, and prolific, historian Norman Graebner, this book introduces the reader to the key dilemmas, events, and proposed solutions to the vexing questions noted above. . . . this is a good, solid introduction to the diplomacy of the Confederation period. - H-Diplo


"This first-rate study is a must acquisition for academic and public libraries. Summing Up: Essential. All levels/libraries." - Choice

From the Publisher