1. 4-7: John Adams and the First Political Parties, 1790s-1800

2. Objectives
NAT 2.0 Explain how interpretations of the Constitution and debates over rights, liberties, and definitions of citizenship have affected American values, politics, and society.
NAT 3.0 Analyze how ideas about national identity changed in response to U.S. involvement in international conflicts and the growth of the United States.
CUL 2.0 Explain how artistic, philosophical, and scientific ideas have developed and shaped society and institutions.
CUL 4.0 Explain how different group identities, including racial, ethnic, class, and regional identities, have emerged and changed over time.
MIG 2.0 Analyze causes of internal migration and patterns of settlement in what would become the United States, and explain how migration has affected American life.

3. Objectives
WOR 1.0 Explain how cultural interaction, cooperation, competition, and conflict between empires, nations, and peoples have influenced political, economic, and social developments in North America.
WOR 2.0 Analyze the reasons for and results of U.S. diplomatic, economic, and military initiatives in North America and overseas.
POL 1.0 Explain how and why political ideas, beliefs, institutions, party systems, and alignments have developed and changed.
POL 3.0 Explain how different beliefs about the federal government’s role in U.S. social and economic life have affected political debates and policies.
WXT 1.0 Explain how different labor systems developed in North America and the United States, and explain their effects on workers’ lives and U.S. society.

4. Key Concepts
The American Revolution’s democratic and republican ideals inspired new experiments with different forms of government.
Migration within North America and competition over resources, boundaries, and trade intensified conflicts among peoples and nations.

5. Formation of Political Parties
Occurs within Washington’s Administration
Federalists
Conservative elites
Loose construction
Pro-British
Strong national government
Strong military
Democratic-Republicans
Small farmers
Strict interpretation
Opposed Federalists’ policies
Election of 1796

6. Alien and Sedition Acts
Background
Provisions
Naturalization Act
Alien Act
Sedition Act
Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions
Doctrine of nullification
John Adams narrowly defeated Thomas Jefferson in the Electoral College vote, forcing Jefferson to become Vice President, although from a different political party. Soon afterward, the 12th amendment was passed, creating the “presidential ticket.”
After the Congressional election of 1798, the Federalists held a majority in both houses of Congress. They immediately passed legislation in an attempt to restrict their political opponents.
The Naturalization Act increased the number of years immigrants had to wait to qualify for citizenship from 5 to 14. Most immigrants voted for Democratic-Republicans.
The Alien Act authorized the president to detain any aliens in a time of war, or deport those deemed dangerous.
The Sedition Act made it illegal for newspaper editors to criticize either the President or Congress (to be fair, newspapers in this era were published by political parties, so much of the information in them was biased, if not untrue altogether). The law imposed heavy penalties, including fines and imprisonment, for editors who violated the law.
Democratic-Republicans argued that the Alien and Sedition Acts violated the First Amendment (freedom of speech and the press). The legislation was challenged by enacting nullifying laws in state legislatures. The pro-states’ rights nullification argument alleges that states entered into a voluntary contract with the national government; therefore, if an act of the federal government broke the contract (i.e. was unconstitutional), a state could nullify the law. Further crisis was averted when the Federalists lost their majority in Congress in the next election. The Democratic-Republicans either repealed the acts or let them expire.

7. XYZ Affair Cause Effect Result Harassment from French warships
French delegates demanded bribes to enter into negotiations
Effect
Demand for war, particularly from Federalists
Result
Trade suspended
Navy created
Quasi-War with France

8. Election of 1800 Candidates Federalists Democratic- Republicans
John Adams
Thomas Pinckney
Democratic- Republicans
Thomas Jefferson
Aaron Burr
Results and Discrepancy
Role of Hamilton
“Revolution of 1800”
Triumph of the common citizen over the elite
Jefferson and Aaron Burr both ran as Democratic-Republicans and due to a lack of communication among the delegates, they tied in the Electoral College. Therefore, the decision was made by the lame duck Federalists in the House of Representatives. Because of the rivalry between Jefferson and Hamilton, many Federalists refused to vote for Jefferson, leading to a tie between Jefferson and Burr. Hamilton preferred the moral Jefferson to the “scoundrel” Burr and influenced Federalists who abstained from voting.
The Election of 1800 has been referred to as a revolution because the party in power gave up power peacefully after losing an election.

9. Midnight Appointments
Judiciary Act of 1801
Occurs during “lame duck” session
New federal judge positions
SO WHAT?
The President appoints judges; Senate approves them
Jefferson doesn’t take office until a few months later
Federalists put Federalist judges in place (life term)
Jefferson tries to remove “midnight judges” by impeachment
De-politicization of Supreme Court

10. Summary of Federalist Era
Achievements
Loose interpretation
Economic strength
Government can enforce laws
Avoided war through neutrality
Reasons for Downfall
Spread of democratic ideals
Distrust of common man
Opposition to Alien and Sedition Acts

11. Remarks on the Federalist Era
The government works!
Congress can create agencies when needed
Elections work
Government can protect individual rights
Precedents established
Neutrality as foreign policy (not isolation)
Political parties in place