ABSTRACT
The American leadership was divided on where the new republic would fit in the diplomatic circles of a world dominated by Europe. From the outset, ideological and economic concerns clashed.5 The result of these clashes was that American diplomacy unfolded on two levels simultaneously. On one hand, the United States developed commercial relationships with other nations, often completely unrelated to ideology. The Hanse, as we have seen, provides a perfect example. On the other hand, America developed diplomatic relationships which were based
almost entirely upon ideology, and often had little to do with commerce. This was the case with the larger German powers, particularly Prussia.
