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Ch 11: Presidency of
John Adams
The Election of 1796
• Political parties were established
Federalist Party
Democratic-Republican Party
Wanted a strong, central
(federal) government
John Adams for President
Thomas Pinckney for VicePresident
Wanted to limit the power of
the federal government
Thomas Jefferson for
President
Aaron Burr for Vice-President
• Election Results: John Adams as President and
Thomas Jefferson as Vice President
Foreign Affairs
• The XYZ Affair
– John Adams wanted France to stop taking U.S.
sailors and forcing them to fight (impressment) in
the French and British war. Adams sent U.S.
diplomats (officials) to France to talk about peace
(friendship) between the two countries
Foreign Affairs – XYZ Affair
• The French agents (named Agent X, Agent Y,
and Agent Z) told the U.S. diplomats that the
French would not talk to them unless they
paid them $250,000 and loaned them $12
million
Foreign Affairs – XYZ Affair
• When Americans found out about the French
bribe, they wanted to go to war with France
• John Adams did not want war, but he
increased the size of the U.S. Navy for
protection
Foreign Affairs – XYZ Affair
• No war was declared, but French and U.S.
ships did battle each other at sea. This was
called the Quasi-War.
The XYZ Affair
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyuZRcxp
CKM&feature=em-share_video_user
Debrief
• What was the XYZ Affair all about?
• How did Adams try to resolve the foreign
affair problem?
• Did Adams follow the Constitution? Why or
Why not?
Domestic Affairs
• The Alien and Sedition Acts
– Congress (mostly made up of Federalists) passed
four laws they said would protect the United
States
Domestic Affairs – Alien & Sedition
Acts
• The Sedition Act
– Told U.S. citizens they could not say or write
anything bad about the United States
• Effect: limited the First Amendment – freedom of
speech and the press
Domestic Affairs -Alien & Sedition
Acts
• The Alien Act
– gave the President power to expel (kick out) any
foreigner whom he thought was dangerous to the
United States
• Effect : gave the President too much power
Domestic Affairs -Alien & Sedition
Acts
• Democratic-Republicans claimed Alien and
Sedition Acts were unconstitutional and
viewed them as abuse of the government’s
power
– Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions = Alien and
Sedition Acts interfered with state government
– States should have the right to nullify (void/not
follow) any federal law that violates the
Constitution
• Effect: States’ Rights versus Federal Power
Jefferson and Adams discussing
Alien and Sedition Acts
Debrief
• What were the Alien and Sedition Acts?
• Why did Adams believe they were needed?
• Why was Jefferson against the acts?
• Were the Alien and Sedition Acts
constitutional? Why or Why not?
Time!!!!!
• Answer the following questions about John
Adams and his Presidency on a separate sheet
of paper.
Which country tried to bribe the U.S.
during the XYZ Affair?
A.
B.
C.
D.
England
Germany
Great Britain
France
Why did Adams send U.S. diplomats to
France?
A.
B.
C.
D.
to negotiate peace
to get money from France
to declare war with France
All of these
The Alien and Sedition Acts led to a
conflict between _________.
A.
B.
C.
D.
the state v. federal courts
the President v. Congress
Federal power v. states' rights
civilians v. the military
The Alien and Sedition Acts violated
which Amendment?
A.
B.
C.
D.
First
Fourth
Eighth
Second