What was the contemporary American perspective on Napoleon's rise to power and the subsequent Napoleonic Wars?

by belayble

Of course, the French Kingdom was a staunch ally of the US during the American Revolution, and the subsequent French Revolution had its supporters amongst American politicians (i.e. Thomas Jefferson), but when Napoleon rose to power and proclaimed the French Empire did American public opinion shift against France when it went about conquering Europe?

GeneralLeeFrank

It was pretty split, actually. One side that supported revolutionary France and another that were more anglophile in taste, at least starting with the early bouts of it in the 1790s. It kind of shifts during the 1800s in odd ways. During the early days of the American republic, Washington stressed neutrality, even though the French rev had popular support. Adams followed much the same measure, though you might say they came close to blows with the Quasi War in 1798. Typically Federalists opposed aiding the French, seeing the revolution as chaotic and destructive, whereas anti-federalists and later Jeffersonian Republicans tended to side with them, although they became more wary of them as time went on.

Politically, after 1800, the US and France were a bit indifferent towards each other, and at best tenuous. Americans were concerned with Napoleon, a few even questioning his despotism, but most were more worried with the British and impressment of sailors. The US tended to keep to themselves, and after the Haitian Revolution and the Louisiana Purchase, Napoleon didn't want much to do with North America afterwards. Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe tended to favor the French, but wouldn't blink to work against them either if it favored the US, they tended to see Britain as the main antagonist to the US.