Question

Why was the XYZ Affair controversial? (5 complete sentences)

Answer 1

Answer:

The main cause of the XYZ Affair was the signing of the Jay Treaty between the US and Great Britain. The treaty was meant to prevent a war between the two nations by not allowing the US to trade with “hostile nations,” such as France. France and Great Britain were at war during this time, so the signing of this treaty caused French leaders to believe that the US was siding with the British. In actuality, the US simply wanted to remain neutral and avoid war. The French also saw the Jay Treaty as a breach of the 1778 Treaty of Alliance between France and the US, which forged a military alliance between the two against Britain. The XYZ Affair angered the American people and many Europeans, especially the French. French leaders were offended because Britain was allowed to trade with the US, and they were not. Ultimately, the Jay Treaty prevented a war between the US and Great Britain, but it created another problem between the US and France.