Transcript John Adams Presidency - Cofer`s American History Class

Federalists Ascendant:
John Adams’ Presidency
US History
Development of Political Parties
Washington “above”
politics, but a federalist
Federalist party emerges
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John Adams, Hamilton, etc
Characteristics
Pro industrial
development
Pro British
Pro strong central
government
“Looser” interpretation
of Constitution
Prominent Federalists
Development of Political Parties
Democratic-Republicans
(D-Rs)
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Thomas Jefferson,
Madison, etc
Characteristics
Pro agriculture
Pro revolutionary France
Pro “common” man
Pro States rights (vs. strong
central government)
Strict interpretation of
Constitution
Election of 1796
First post-Washington
election
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John Adams (F) – 71
EV
Thomas Jefferson (D-R)
– 68 EV
Thomas Pinckney (F) –
59 EV
Aaron Burr (D-R) – 30
EV
President = John Adams (F)
VP = Thomas Jefferson (D-R)
President, VP From Different
Parties
Constitution
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VP Jefferson
Pres. Adams
President to be person
with most EVs
VP to be person with
second most EVs
No concept of “ticket” or
pres, VP running together
Founders did not
anticipate rise of political
parties
Became big problem in
Adams’ Admin.
John Adams
Birthplace of
John Adams
Young Adams
Born in Massachusetts
Raised a “puritan-lite”
Became a lawyer
Second cousins to
Samuel Adams
Joined patriot cause
after Stamp Act
Popularized argument
“no taxation without
representation”
John Adams
During Rev. War,
served in Continental
Congress
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Served on
“Committee of 5”
Looked to for advice
on forming
governments / writing
constitutions
Adams in Europe
Portrait of Treaty of Paris negotiators
(British refused to pose – portrait never
Finished)
1777 – Adams sent to
France as diplomat
Sent back to Europe
to negotiate peace
treaty, 1779-80
Continued to serve as
ambassador to
Holland (1780-82),
England (1785-88)
Vice President Adams
Came in second in election of
1788, 1792 (second of
revolutionary generation, only
after Washington)
Washington rarely asked
Adams’ opinion
Adams’ main job = president
of Senate
His opinion on the Vicepresidency:
"My country has in its wisdom contrived for me the most insignificant
office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived."
President Adams: Foreign
Policy
Continued neutrality
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Adams wanted to stay out
of war between Britain,
France
Problem: Jay’s Treaty
angered French, so they
began attacking American
shipping
Adams sent diplomats to
negotiate with French
(Pinckney, Gerry, Marshall)
French (in distance) bearing down
on damaged American ship
John Adams: XYZ Affair
Americans (at left) facing French
revolutionary demands, in US
newspaper cartoon
Three French agents
demanded $250k
bribe, $12 million loan
to help French fight
wars and public
apology just to let
Americans see French
foreign minister
Americans went home,
instead
John Adams: XYZ Affair
Jefferson demanded
to see reports from
diplomats (Why?)
Released to public,
changing French
agents’ names to X, Y
and Z
Huge public outcry:
“Millions for defense,
but not one cent for
tribute!”
Token handed out during XYZ Affair
John Adams: “Quasi-War”
Quasi-War: No declaration,
but French, American
warships attacked each
other and merchant ships
American negotiators
offered French same terms
as Jays Treaty, but French
refused
1800: Adams renegotiated
treaty
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US drops claim for damaged
merchant ships
France released US from
alliance of 1778
Weakened US affection for
French
USS Constellation – active during
Quasi War
John Adams: Domestic Affairs
Alien-Sedition Acts (1798)
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Alien Friends Act
Authorized the president to deport any
resident alien considered "dangerous to
the peace and safety of the United
States.”
Aimed at French sympathizers
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Alien Enemies Act (still in effect)
authorized the president to apprehend
and deport resident aliens if their home
countries were at war with the United
States
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Naturalization Act
Extended the duration of residence
required for aliens to become citizens to
14 years
Fight in Congress during debate
over Sedition Act, 1798
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Sedition Act
made it a crime to publish "false,
scandalous, and malicious writing"
against the government or its officials
John Adams: Domestic Affairs
Reaction to Sedition Act
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Jefferson: Unconstitutional!!
First Amendment
Tenth Amendment
No Judicial Review yet (M v M in 1803)
– thus, exercise of “undelegated
powers” by Feds
TJ, James Madison introduce KY
and VA Resolutions
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Called on states to nullify laws
Compact theory: US made up of
voluntary union of states giving some
power to central gov’t; but states do
not give away their sovereignty
If state’s sovereignty violated, then
state had right to nullify Federal act or
secede from union
“Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof; or abridging the
freedom of speech, or of the
Press . . .”
“The powers not delegated to
the United States by the
Constitution, nor prohibited by
it to the States, are reserved to
the States respectively, or to
the people.”
John Adams: Domestic Affairs
Alien-Sedition Acts in
Action
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No aliens deported (many
fled)
25 people, mainly D-R
newspaper editors, arrested
under Sedition Act (incl. 1
congressman!)
11 tried, 10 convicted
Led to end of Federalist
Party
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Federalists tossed out of
office
After his election, President
Jefferson pardoned all those
convicted under Sedition Act
The power of the press . . .
The 1800 Election
One of the nastiest
elections ever (slander,
personal attacks)
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Jefferson v. Adams
Campaign destroyed
friendship, for years
Jefferson, Burr tie; election
goes to Federalist House
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On 35 ballots, deadlocked 8
states to 8 states
On 36th ballot, Hamilton
convinced other Federalists
to change vote to Jefferson
(Burr was personal enemy)
Jefferson
Burr
J. Adams
Pinckney
(D-R)
(D-R)
(F)
(F)
73
73
65
64
1800 Election Aftermath
12th Amendment
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President, VP run as a ticket
Each elector casts 1 vote for
a president, & 1 vote for a VP
President, VP must win
absolute majority of EC votes
Deadlocks go to House,
where each state gets one
vote for any of top 3 tickets
Federalists lose control of
legislature, Fed
bureaucracy
Adams: Midnight
appointments to judiciary
(eventually leads to
Marbury v. Madison)
Boston Sentinel, 1801