Chapter 10.5 John Adams takes office as the 2nd POTUS

• Though George Washington had made precedents for future presidents to follow– John Adams would get to

do something that George Washington did not get to

• Live and work at the White House…– At least when it’s done.

President Adams arrives in Washington, D.C.

Pres. Adam’s Goals while in office

• Improve relations with the French– Hated not being able to

help during the French Revolution

• Meanwhile,– French privateers have

been attacking American ships….

• Not this again…

Pres. Adams sends U.S. diplomats to France

• U.S. Diplomats– People sent to other

countries to do represent America.

• What was their job? – To get France to stop

attacking our ships• French foreign minister

refused to talk to us….he’s still a little mad.– So he sends 3 secret

agents to talk to us…

The XYZ Affair….A Musical

• http://www1.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=364

XYZ Affair…a Summary

• France wanted us to pay just to discuss a treaty:– $250,000 – Loan $12,000,000

• We say “No thanks”– Then, we build the world’s largest naval ships…• Led by USS Constitution

– Nicknamed “Old Ironsides”

USS Constitution

• Carried up to 60 cannons – 30 per side

• Almost twice as much gun power as the average privateer

• Do you think the privateers will attack this ship?

USS Constitution, today

France agrees to a treaty

• 1800– Pres. Adams finally gets a treaty signed with

France• Took almost 4 years!

– The public was very upset about how Pres. Adams handled the French…• Started writing terrible things about the President in

the newspapers…

President Adams tries to silence the public

• Pres. Adams wants to keep the public from attacking the government– Passes the Alien and Sedition Act• Alien act

– POTUS can have foreign residents removed from the US if they speak out against the United States

• Sedition Act– Made it illegal to “write, print, speak, or publish” any hostile

words against the government or its policies…

– Does this sound like a president or a mad king trying to quiet the citizens?

VPOTUS Jefferson disagrees with the POTUS

• VP Jefferson wants to discuss with Pres. Adams why he should not pass these laws:

• Reasons:– Will make POTUS very

unpopular

– US Constitution, 1st Amendment» Freedom of speech,

press, etc.

• What do you think Pres. Adams says?

VP and POTUS discuss the Alien and Sedition Acts

So where does this get us?

Review Questions

• What is the XYZ Affair?

• What are the Alien and Sedition Acts?

• What is the USS Constitution?