Editing Quasi-War (section)

==Background==
Under the 1778 [[Treaty of Alliance (1778)|Treaty of Alliance]], the [[United States]] had agreed to protect the [[French West Indies]] in return for French support in the [[American Revolutionary War]]. Because the treaty had no termination date, France claimed this obligation included supporting them against [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]] and the [[Dutch Republic]] during the 1792-1797 [[War of the First Coalition]]. Despite popular enthusiasm for the [[French Revolution]], there was little support for this in [[United States Congress|Congress]]. Neutrality allowed [[New England]] shipowners to earn huge profits evading the British blockade of French ports, while the Southern [[planter class]] feared the example set by France's [[Law of 4 February 1794|abolition of slavery in 1794]].{{sfn|Young|2011|pp=436–466}}

In 1793, Congress suspended repayment of French loans incurred during the Revolutionary War, arguing the [[execution of Louis XVI]] and establishment of the [[French First Republic]] rendered existing agreements void. They further argued American military obligations under the Treaty of Alliance applied only to a "defensive conflict" and thus did not apply, since France had declared war on Britain and the Dutch Republic. To ensure the U.S. did not become involved, Congress passed the [[Neutrality Act of 1794]], while President [[George Washington]] issued an [[executive order]] forbidding American [[merchant ship]]s from arming themselves.{{Sfn|Fehlings|2000|pp=106–107}}

[[File:Caribbean general map.png|thumb|left|upright=1.2|[[Caribbean]], main focus of operations during the Quasi-War]]

France accepted these acts on the basis of "benevolent neutrality". They interpreted this as allowing French [[privateers]] to enter U.S. ports, and to sell captured British ships in American [[prize court]]s, but not vice versa. However, the U.S. viewed it as the right to provide the same privileges to both.{{sfn|Hyneman|1930|pp=279–283}} These differences were further exacerbated in November 1794 when the U.S. and Britain signed the [[Jay Treaty]]. By resolving outstanding issues from the American Revolution, it led to a rapid expansion of trade between the two countries. Between 1794 and 1801, American exports to Britain nearly tripled in value, from US$33&nbsp;million to $94&nbsp;million.{{sfn|Combs|1992|pp=23–24}}

In late 1796, French privateers began seizing American ships trading with the British, helped by the almost complete lack of a [[United States Navy]]. Their last warship had been sold in 1785, leaving only a small flotilla belonging to the [[United States Revenue Cutter Service]] and a few neglected coastal forts. From October 1796 to June 1797, French vessels captured 316 ships, 6% of the entire American merchant fleet, causing losses of $12 to $15 million.{{sfn|Sechrest|2007|p=103}} On 2 March 1797, the [[French Directory]] issued a decree permitting the seizure of any neutral shipping without a ''role d'equipage'' listing the nationalities of each crewman.{{sfn|Palmer|1989|p=4-5}} Since American ships rarely carried such documents, France had effectively initiated a commerce war.{{sfn|Palmer|1989|p=5}}

Diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict ended in the 1797 dispute known as the [[XYZ Affair]].{{sfn|Coleman|2008|p=189}} However, the hostilities created support for establishing a limited naval force, and on 18 June, President [[John Adams]] appointed [[Benjamin Stoddert]] the first [[United States Secretary of the Navy|Secretary of the Navy]].{{sfn|Williams|2009|p=25}} On 7 July 1798, Congress [[Act Further to Protect the Commerce of the United States|approved the use of force]] against French warships in American waters, but wanted to ensure conflict did not escalate beyond these limits.{{sfn|Eclov|2013|p=67}} As a result, it was called a "limited" or "Quasi-War", and led to political debate over whether it was constitutional. A series of rulings by the [[Supreme Court of the United States]] confirmed the ability of the U.S. to conduct [[undeclared wars]], or "[[police action]]s".{{Sfn|Fehlings|2000|pp=101–102}}