Should the U.S had stayed Allies with France, or become trading partners with GB?

[Evan1000]

I had a Socratic Seminar today, and thought the debate question was cool. The question was:

Do you agree with Thomas Jefferson that the United States should provide aid to France when they were at war with Great Britain, or with Alexander Hamilton that we shouldn't help France and instead become trading partners with Great Britain?

Some background information: We're fresh out of a revolutionary war with Great Britain, where France helped us out tremendously. We're still in massive debt from that war, and Washington is trying to drive the United States into a state of neutrality. France's monarch is out, and Great Britain has the strongest navy at that time.

You can't use future events in the debate, so the war of 1812 and the French Revolution can't be used.

I'll start it off by saying I side with Jefferson. Although the two treaties we signed with France that stated we had to help them when they needed it were out along with the monarch, it was our moral obligation to help them.

[Dipstik]

Should the U.S. *have*...

And no, I won't do your homework for you.

[Evan1000]

Should the U.S. *have*...

And no, I won't do your homework for you.

That was bugging me on whether it was "had" or "have," but anyways, my side already won the debate, but it was boring.

Our main points were if we had not stayed allies with France we wouldn't have gained access to the huge Louisiana territory sitting right next to us that was owned by the French.

France gave us a huge loan to help us with our debt when they themselves were in debt, on top of all of the help other they had given us with the war.

Also, Hamilton was a hypocrite. He wanted to trade with Great Britain, but in his 5 point plan he wanted to impose tariffs on foreign trade to promote manufacturing within the states and not rely on trade so much?

[LüK€¥]

That was bugging me on whether it was "had" or "have," but anyways, my side already won the debate, but it was boring.

Our main points were if we had not stayed allies with France we wouldn't have gained access to the huge Louisiana territory sitting right next to us that was owned by the French.

France gave us a huge loan to help us with our debt when they themselves were in debt, on top of all of the help other they had given us with the war.

Also, Hamilton was a hypocrite. He wanted to trade with Great Britain, but in his 5 point plan he wanted to impose tariffs on foreign trade to promote manufacturing within the states and not rely on trade so much?

I don't learn about USA history in school. But I must say, USA is a massive powerhouse, so yeah, that sums it up...