Presidency of John Adams

1
Presidency of John Adams

• And the slow excruciating death of the Federalist
  Party

2
Who was John Adams?

• A Federalist born in Boston and a strong leader
  during the Revolution
• He was George Washington's Vice President
• A strong-willed Federalist who believed the
  educated should rule the land

3
Election 1796

• Adams won the Presidency easily, since he was the
  VP of Washington
• Thomas Jefferson won the Vice Presidency
• Federalist President and a Dem-Rep. Vice
  President
• Few good feelings about each other

4
Adams Presidency Foreign Relations and
Widespread Paranoia

• Many issues stem
• Distrust of Foreigners
• Democratic Republicans were out to get him
• Many decisions made by Adams were made based on
  these two issues

5
Foreign Affairs

• XYZ Affair
• French ships attacked American to interfere with
  trade with British
• Americans were getting tired of this and
• the French were also trying to take the ships as
  well as the crews

6
XYZ Affair cont

• Adams sends 3 Congressmen to France to work out
  an agreement to end conflict
• The men are met by three French representatives
  (X, Y, and Z)
• These men say they will help solve the problems
  if the US would pay them (bribe them)

7
XYZ Cont.

• Appalled, the men return to Adams with this
  information
• Adams A million for defense, not a cent for
  tribute!
• Adams is becoming suspicious of all foreigners
  (especially French immigrants)

8
Alien and Sedition Acts

• In response to the Anti-government newspapers and
  the growing Dem. Republican immigrant population,
  added to Adams dislike for the French and other
  foreigners
• He gets Congress to pass the Alien and Sedition
  Acts

9
Alien and Sedition Acts

• Alien Acts President can now deport any
  foreigner suspected of Anti-Government activity
• No trial necessary
• Sedition Acts Government censorship
  anti-government newspapers in the interest of
  national defense
• Cannot be a citizen until you lived in country
  for 14 years

10
Adams versus the Democratic-Republicans

• Dem-Rep. begin to old regular meetings
• The National Gazette,
• express their views of the president and his
  actions
• These views are not flattering

11
Virginia and Kentucky Resolves

• Democratic-Republican reaction to the Alien and
  Sedition Acts
• Jefferson backed the Virginia Resolutions
• James Madison backed the Kentucky
• Nullification
• states can nullify or cancel any law they feel is
  against the constitution

12
Quasi-War with France

• US begins a small naval battle with France
• Convention of 1800
• Ends quasi-war
• France repays ship owners
• US granted most favored nation status