Transcript File - TBRMS

John Adams’s
Presidency
Chapter 7, Section 4
Pages 250 - 253
The Election of 1796
The election of 1796 began a new era in U.S. politics.
For the first time, more than one candidate ran for
president.
Political parties had begun to form during
Washington’s presidency.
 Alexander Hamilton helped found the Federalist Party. The
Federalists chose John Adams and Thomas Pinckney as
candidates.
 Thomas Jefferson and James Madison founded the
Democratic-Republican Party. They chose Thomas Jefferson
and Aaron Burr as their candidates.
The Election of 1796
Party differences were based partly on where and how
people lived.
 Businesspeople in the cities tended to support the Federalists.
 Farmers in more isolated areas generally favored the
Democratic-Republicans.
In the end, Adams defeated Jefferson.
At the time, the person who came in second in a
presidential election became vice president. So,
Adams and Jefferson took office together.
President Adams
John Adams did not appear to be well suited for the
presidency.
 Although Adams had been a leading Patriot during the
American Revolution and had later served as a foreign
diplomat, he lacked Washington’s dignity, and most people
saw him as a cold and distant person.
 Others, even though they opposed him, respected Adams –
they recognized his hard work, honesty, and intelligence.
The U.S. and France
One of President Adams’s goals was to improve the
relationship with France.
 Adams sent diplomats to begin talks with France.
 French Minister Talleyrand would not speak with these
diplomats.
 The diplomats were visited by a number of French agents who
stated that the government would only speak to them under
specific conditions.
The XYZ Affair
The French agents told the American diplomats that
they would only discuss a treaty with the U.S. if they
were given a $250,000 payment (bribe).
 President Adams reported this bribery attempt to Congress in
March 1798.
 Upon hearing of the agents work (Agents X, Y, and Z) the
Federalists in Congress called for war against France.
 The U.S. public was also outraged.
 “Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute.”
The XYZ Affair
The French agents were:
 Agent X – Jean Conrad Hottinger
 Agent Y – Pierre Bellamy
 Agent Z – Lucien Hauteval
Preparations for War
Adams asked Congress to expand the navy to a fleet
of more than 30 ships.
 President Adams thought that war with France might be
unavoidable and wanted to be prepared for it.
 Adams also decided that the United States should maintain a
peacetime army.
 Although he prepared for war, Adams did not want to go to
war. He thought that the U.S. could not afford it and did not
ask Congress to declare war.
Peace Efforts
The Federalists were stunned by Adams’s actions.
 American and French ships began fighting in the Caribbean.
 Adams sent more diplomats to France to negotiate an end to
the fighting.
 A treaty was eventually signed.
 Adams forced two members of his cabinet to resign for trying
to block his peace efforts.
The Alien and Sedition Acts
In 1798 the Federalist-controlled Congress passed
laws later known as the Alien and Sedition Acts.
 These laws were said to protect the United States, but
Federalists intended them to crush any opposition to the war.
 The Sedition Act was the most controversial. It forbade
anyone from publishing or voicing criticism of the federal
government.
 Thomas Jefferson and James Madison viewed these acts as a
misuse of the government’s power.
The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions
Enacted at the state level, these documents argued
that the Alien and Sedition Acts were unconstitutional.
 The main argument was that the federal government could not
pass these acts because they interfered with state
government.
 Jefferson and Madison tried to get Congress to repeal the
acts, but they did not. Instead Congress just let the acts
expire (were not renewed).
 The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions did not have the force
of national laws, but they supported the idea that states could
challenge the federal government.