John AdamsJohn Adams

Lesson ObjectivesLesson Objectives1. Summarize the difficulties that John Adams

faced during his presidency

2. Summarize the nations developing foreign policy with France and Great Britain

3. Identify some of the deep divisions between Federalists and Republicans

Adams’ turn??Adams’ turn??

• Adams as VP: active as President of the Senate– more tiebreaking votes (31) than any

other VP – spent more time in Senate presiding

than any other VP

• Greatly frustrated by the job:

“Gentlemen, I feel a great difficulty how to act. I am Vice President. In this I am nothing, but I may be everything.”

What does he mean????

Election of 1796Election of 1796

• For 1st time in U.S., two political parties square off– Federalists (Adams) vs. Democratic-Republicans (Jefferson)Federalists (Adams) vs. Democratic-Republicans (Jefferson)

• Negative campaign ads – Adams is called “His Rotundity” – Jefferson labeled a coward and atheist

• ProblemProblem Pres and VP from different parties• sectionalism sectionalism voting according to where one lives

– North chose Adams– South chose Jefferson

• Adams: has tough act to follow• Adams takes over, there are now 16 states Vermont, Kentucky,

Tennessee

Tough Act To FollowTough Act To Follow

• How do you follow greatness?

• Adams keeps Washington’s cabinet– More loyal to Hamilton than himself

• His own V.P is from a different party

War with France?War with France?

• French upset about the Jay TreatyJay Treaty, see it as violation of alliance of 1778

• French leaders (The DirectoryThe Directory) refuse to receive American ambassador Pinckney

• French navy begins seizing American ships bound for Britain

• Adams calls for a military buildup (naval) in case war is necessary

• Federalists happy with Adams• Democratic-Republicans outraged

“war-whoop”

Alien and Sedition ActsAlien and Sedition Acts• Naturalization Act – Naturalization Act – time to become a citizen 4 14 years

– Repealed 1802

• Alien Friends Act –Alien Friends Act – president can deport any alien they feel is “dangerous to the peace and safety of the U.S.”– Expired in 2 years

• Alien Enemies Act – Alien Enemies Act – president can apprehend and deport any “resident alien” if their home country is at war with the U.S.– Remains in effect today 50 U.S.C. 21 - 24

• Sedition Act -Sedition Act - prohibited expression of “false, scandalous, and malicious statements” against the government– Expired 1801

• 18 had been charged and 12 convicted under the law (incl. NJ man who made fun of Adams posterior – arrested and fined $150)

• Virginia and Kentucky ResolutionsVirginia and Kentucky Resolutions: Madison and Jefferson secretly wrote these resolutions proposing nullificationnullification

XYZ Affair and undeclared warXYZ Affair and undeclared war• Adams sends 3 men:

– Pinckney, Marshall (future Chief Justice of Supreme Court) and Elbridge Gerry to France “secret” peace mission

• 3 low-level French officials known as “X, Y, and Z”– demand payment (bribe) of $250,000 to let the Americans

meet with top French foreign minister– official apology from President.

• Word leaks out “XYZ Affair”• Leads to ANTI-French feelings in U.S.;

– “Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute”– undeclared war for 2 years– Congress creates navy and authorizes American ships to

seize French vessels– Washington called out of retirement to lead army

Election of 1800Election of 1800• Rematch Adams (Pinckney) v. Jefferson (Burr)• The death of Washington, in 1799, weakened the

Federalists• Hamilton tried to sabotage Adams' campaign in the

hope of boosting Pinckney's chances of winning.• In the end, Adams lost narrowly to Jefferson by 65 to

73• Adams was defeated because of:

1. better organization by the Republicans2. Federalist disunity3. the controversy of the Alien and Sedition Acts4. the popularity of Jefferson in the south5. the South's inflated number of Electors, which counted

slaves under the three-fifths compromise.

Midnight JudgesMidnight Judges• On his way out of office, Adams passed some legislation to

help ensure Federalist power in the judicial branch• Judiciary Act of 1801 created a set of federal appeals courts

between the district courts and the Supreme Court. – 1st to remedy the defects in the federal judicial system inherent in the

Judiciary Act of 1789– 2nd to enable the defeated Federalists to staff the new judicial offices with

loyal Federalists in the face of the party's defeat in presidential and congressional elections in 1800.

• Adams filled the vacancies created by this statute by appointing a series of judges, whom his opponents called the "Midnight Judges" – most of them were formally appointed days before the presidential term

expired. – Most of these judges lost their posts when the Jeffersonian Republicans

enacted the Judiciary Act of 1802

Adams RecapAdams RecapClick here For videoClick here For videohttp://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/president-john-adams-from-alien-and-sedition-acts-to-xyz-affair.html#lesson