Troubled Times For John Adams Chapter 10 Section 4

Achievements: Mass. Active patriot Ambassador to France, Netherlands and Great Britain Helped negotiate the Treaty of Paris Vice president under George Washington

Feelings on Office of Vice President: “The Most insignificant office that ever the Invention of man contrived…”

Problems with France: The French were unhappy about the Jay Treaty (protected trade with Great Britain) French ships seized the cargo of American ships in the Caribbean Americans were angry that the French were interfering with trade and poloticts

Avoiding War: Sent a 3 person peace commission to Paris –John Marshall –Charles Pinckney –Elbridge Gerry The French offered a “treaty with a price” America was angry about being asked for a bribe

The meeting with the French became known and Americans were outraged Marshall, Pinckney, and Gerry became known only as X,Y, and Z This Forced Adams to consider asking congress to declare war on France X,Y, and Z affair:

Adams decides to wait: He hoped that either –France would negotiate –American people would unite Napoleon Bonaparte (new leader of France) was at war with Britain and did not want to fight America as well.

Greatest Achievement: Many people consider avoiding war with France to be Adam’s greatest achievement “Here lies John Adams who took upon himself the responsibility of the peace with France in the year 1800”

Fight for control: 1789

Alien and Sedition Acts Passed as an attempt to stop the growth of the democratic-republican party

Alien acts: Supposed to protect the country from aliens (people form other countries)

Naturalization Act: Increased the time required to become a united states citizen (Most new immigrants were joining the democratic- republican party)

Alien Act: Gave the president the power to imprison or deport any foreigner (Hoped to silence the French refugees that spoke out against the federalists party)

Alien Enemies Act: Could arrest and deport all people who were citizens of foreign nations at war with the United States

Sedition act: Made it a crime to speak or write critically about the president, members of congress, the federal government, or federal laws –(attempt to silence criticism)

Outcome: 25 democratic-republican editors were arrested (10 convicted) No aliens were ever deported Angry response from Jefferson and other democratic-republicans

Jefferson and Madison Looked at the acts as a violation of the Bill of Rights Wrote 2 resolutions approved by the states of Kentucky and Virginia

KY and VA resolutions: Claimed that the alien and sedition act could not be put into actions because they were a violation of the constitution People had the right to nullify (cancel) a federal law within the state Each state could determine if the federal government had gone beyond its constitutional powers Began the States Rights Theory (states could decide whether or not to obey such laws)

Federalists Loose Power: The sedition act and the way it was enforced made the Federalists and Adams look high handed and tyrannical. By 1800 the federalists had lost the support of most people

Seeking re-election: His stand on making peach with France had split the federalist party People who did not agree with him refused to support him

Next presidency: President- Thomas Jefferson Vice president- Aaron Burr

Election of 1800: Vicious and hard-fought Each side felt the other would destroy the country Jefferson and Burr tied for president The deciding vote went to the house of representatives Alexander Hamilton voted against Burr making Thomas Jefferson the president

12 th Amendment: Was put in place to avoid another tie Calls for electors to vote on separate ballots for president and vice president