1. 5.3 John Adam’s Presidency
A. Conflict with France
1. Adams faced a crisis with France.
a) French did not like Jay’s Treaty.
b) In 1797, The French started to seize American ships.
2. Adams sent diplomats to France to negotiate.
a) The French foreign minister, Charles Maurice de Talleyrand, did not deal directly with the Americans.
b) Talleyrand sent three agents to deal with the Americans.
c) Before dealing with the Americans they insisted on bribes from the Americans.
d) The Americans refused.
e) Adams told Congress of this only referring to the French agents as X, Y, and Z.

2. 5.3 John Adam’s Presidency
3. Many Americans were outraged about the XYZ Affair in 1798.
a) Americans were willing to pay millions for defense, but they were not willing to spend any money on bribes.
4. Adams resisted the urge to go to war with France.
a) Adams built frigates, fast sailing ships with many guns.
b) This move helped convince France to stop attacking American shipping.
B. The Federalist Party Splits
1. Many Federalists criticized Adams.
a) They hoped a war with France would weaken the Democratic-Republicans.
b) Hamilton and Adams’s disagreement led to a split of the Federalist party.

3. 5.3 John Adam’s Presidency
2. Over Hamilton’s opposition, Adams again sent diplomats to France.
a) They met with Napoleon Bonaparte who agreed to stop seizing American ships.
b) Adams success cost him support in the Federalist party.
C. Alien and Sedition Acts
1. Federalists pushed a number of laws through Congress in 1798 known as the Alien and Sedition Acts.
2. Under the Alien Act, the President could expel an alien, or foreigner, thought to be dangerous to the country.

4. 5.3 John Adam’s Presidency
a) Another law made it harder for immigrants to become citizens.
b) Immigrants generally supported the Democratic-republicans and this act would keep them from voting for 14 years.
3. Democratic-republicans grew even angrier when Congress passed the Sedition Act.
a) Sedition means stirring up rebellion against a government.
b) Under this law, citizens could be jailed or fined if they criticized the government.
c) Many newspaper men and members of Congress fell victim to this law.

5. 5.3 John Adam’s Presidency
4. Democratic-republicans argued that the Sedition Act violated the 1st Amendment.
D. The Rights of States
1. Vice President Jefferson bitterly opposed the Alien and Sedition Acts.
a) Jefferson argued that the states had the right to nullify, or cancel, a law passed by the federal government.
b) The Kentucky and Virginia resolutions claimed that each state “has an equal right to judge for itself” whether a law is constitutional.

6. 5.3 John Adam’s Presidency
2. The KY and VA resolutions raised the issue of states’ rights.
a) Did the states have the power to label a federal law as unconstitutional?
E. Election of 1800
1. The Democratic-republicans opposed the raising of taxes and the Alien and Sedition Acts.
a) The Democratic-republicans backed Jefferson while the Federalists backed Adams.
b) The Democratic-republicans won the popular vote.

7. 5.3 John Adam’s Presidency
2. The electoral college was tied in the vote.
a) According to the Constitution, the House of Representatives breaks ties in the electoral college.
b) After 4 days and 36 votes, Thomas Jefferson became President and Aaron Burr became Vice President.
3. The Twelfth Amendment was passed and it changed the voting procedure for President and Vice President.
a) The electoral college now votes separately for President and Vice President.
4. After the Election of 1800, the Federalist Party declined due to its leader, Alexander Hamilton, dying in a duel with Aaron Burr.