john adam’s presidency. a.political parties – groups that help elect government officials and...

John Adam’s Presidency

John Adam’s PresidencyA. Political Parties – groups that help elect

government officials and shape government policies

1. TWO parties form despite Washington’s warnings

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a. Federalist party – stronger federal

government and promote industry

and trade

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1.Founded by Hamilton

2. John Adams for President

and Thomas Pinckney for Vice President

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3. Party most popular in New England

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b. Democratic Republican Party –

limit power of federal govern.

1. Started by Jefferson and

Madison

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2. Members were called

Republicans

- not related to modern

Republican party

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3. Party most popular in the

South

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2. Both sides attack each other during

the election

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“I fear America will never go through another election without Blood Shed. We have had a paper War for six weeks past.”

~ Abigail Adams

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3. Adams (Federalist) narrowly defeats

Jefferson

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a. Person who took 2nd place becomes Vice President

1. Jefferson becomes Adams’s VP after months of fighting

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B. XYZ Affair

1. Adams’s first goal as pres. was to improve relations between

US and

France

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a. France attacking American ships

b. Adams sends diplomats to France but French foreign

minister will not meet with them

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c. French agents secretly meet with US diplomats:

1. French will discuss treaty only for $250,000 bribe and

$12 million loan

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2. US refuses demand and Congress calls for war with France

d. Called XYZ affair – X, Y and Z substitute for names of French agents

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e. Adams fears war – asks for peacetime army and to expand navy

1. But American + French ships attack each other in Caribbean

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f. Adams refuses to go to war and

eventually treaty signed between

French and US

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C. Alien and Sedition Acts

1. Alien Act – President can remove

foreign residents from the country

“Any treasonable or secret plots against the government”

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2. Sedition Act – US can’t join any

plots against the government’s policies

Illegal to “write, print, utter or publish” any false or hostile words

against the government or its policies.

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3. These acts applied mostly to

Republicans who were unhappy

with current government policies

a. Some arrested and jailed

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4. Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions –

said Alien and Sedition Acts were

unconstitutional

a. Written by Madison + Hamilton

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b. Said state governments could

ignore unconstitutional, federal

laws

c. Impacted idea of state’s rights

and their right to challenge federal govern.

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D. Election of 1800

1. Jefferson and Burr (Republicans) vs. Adams and Pickney

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2. Republicans challenge:

a. Alien and Sedition Acts

b. Adams’s permanent army and the

taxes to maintain it

c. Adams’s has hurt relationship between US and France

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3. Federalists respond by:

a. Jefferson is too friendly with

warring France

b. Jefferson will get rid of organized

religion

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4. Jefferson actively campaigns while

Adams believes he will be judged on

his public record

a. Hamilton works against Adams and further divides

Federalist party

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E. Narrow Republican Victory1. Jefferson and Burr each win 73 electoral

votes, 65 for Adams and 64 for Pickney

2. Both Jefferson and Burr eligible for

President

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a. House of Representatives decides

1. Federalists vote for Burr

2. Republicans for Jefferson

b. Another tie – repeated 30 times

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3. Jefferson finally wins (thanks to

Hamilton)

a. Federalist party weakened because of loss

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b. Jefferson believes transfer of power

between the 2 parties shows strength of US government

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4. 12th Amendment – separate ballot

for president and vice president