1. John Adams’s Presidency
Chapter 7, Section 4
John Adams’s Presidency

2. The Election of 1796 New Era in United States Politics
More than one candidate ran for president
John Adams (Federalist)
vs.
Thomas Jefferson (Republican)
What did each side stand for ?(Don’t write this part. You already did, didn’t you? It’s okay)

4. A New President
John Adams would have to work hard to win the people’s trust
George Washington was adored by the people
Even those who opposed him respected him
Hard-working, honest, and intelligent

5. The United States and France
John Adams wanted to improve foreign relations with France
Sent United States diplomats overseas
Upon arrival, diplomats were ignored by Foreign Minister Talleyrand and instead visited by 3 French secret agents
Agents said that a treaty would only be discussed in exchange for a $250,000 bribe and a loan of $12 million
The United States diplomats refused the demands

6. The United States and France
In March of 1798, President John Adams told Congress that the peace-seeking mission had failed
Informed Congress of the French terms, substituting the letters X,Y, and Z for the names of the French Secret Agents
Federalists in Congress called for war with France
XYZ Affair
Americans were outraged at such disrespect

8. Preparations for War
President John Adams asked Congress to expand the navy to a fleet of more than 30 ships and called for the United States to keep a peacetime army
Congress approved both measures
President Adams did not want to go to war with France
Worried about cost
Did not ask Congress for a declaration of war
Tried to reopen peace talks with France

9. Peace Efforts
President John Adams’s decision not to declare war stunned Federalists
American and French ships engaged in fighting in the Caribbean
John Adams sent a representative to France and eventually, a treaty was signed
President Adams then forced two members of his cabinet to resign for trying to block his peace efforts

10. The Alien and Sedition Acts
Democratic-Republicans continued to sympathize with France
Alien and Sedition Acts
Passed by Federalist controlled Congress
4 laws said to protect the United States but really intended to crush opposition to war
Sedition Act
Controversial law which forbade anyone from publishing or voice criticism of the federal government
Violated freedom of speech and freedom of press
Signed into law by President John Adams in 1798, the Alien and Sedition Acts consisted of four laws passed by the Federalist-controlled Congress as America prepared for war with France. These acts increased the residency requirement for American citizenship from five to fourteen years, authorized the president to imprison or deport aliens considered "dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States" and restricted speech critical of the government. These laws were designed to silence and weaken the Democratic-Republican Party. Negative reaction to the Alien and Sedition Acts helped contribute to the Democratic-Republican victory in the 1800 elections. Congress repealed the Naturalization Act in 1802, while the other acts were allowed to expire.

11. The Alien and Sedition Acts
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison
Viewed acts as misuse of government power
Wrote resolutions passed by the Kentucky state legislature in 1798 and Virginia in 1799 (Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions)
Argued that the Alien and Sedition Acts were unconstitutional
Congress did not repeal the acts, but allowed them to expire within a few years
The Resolutions supported the idea that states could challenge the federal government

12. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson
Longtime political rivals
Abigail Adams death helped the two men to reconcile
Close and personal correspondence for the remainder of their lives
Both died on July 4, 1826
Both architects of the document (the Declaration of Independence) that gave birth to this new Nation dead, 50 years to the day from the birth of the country they founded.
John Adams’s last words were “Thomas Jefferson survives”
Thomas Jefferson had died only a few hours earlier