Troubled Times for John Adams

1
Troubled Times for John Adams
2
John Adams as President

• He was one of the most active patriots before the
  Revolution.
• He was an ambassador to Europe.
• He helped negotiate the Treaty of Paris of 1783.
• He was the 1st VP.
• As a Federalist he backed the policies of
  Washington and Hamilton.

3
Problems With France

• Tensions with France ran high because of the Jay
  Treaty.
• French ships harassed American ships in the
  Caribbean.
• The French tried to influence the election of
  1796 in favor of Jefferson.

4
XYZ Affair

• Adams sent a three man peace commission to
  France.
• French agents offered them a peace treaty for a
  price.
• This bribery attempt was known as the XYZ Affair.
• America refused to pay and relations worsened.
• American warships began waging an undeclared
  naval war with France.

5
Peace With France

• Adams considered asking congress to declare war
  against France.
• He blamed the French, and Americans like
  Jefferson who had sided with France.
• The US and France eventually agreed on terms of
  peace.
• The treaty cost Adams the support of his own
  party (Federalist).

6
Alien and Sedition Acts

• 1798 Congress passed laws to slow growth of the
  Dem-Rep Party.
• They made it harder for immigrants to become
  citizens.
• They also made it a crime to speak out against
  government.
• Critics claimed that they were a violation of the
  Bill of Rights.

7
Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions of 1798

• They claimed that the Alien and Sedition Acts
  violated the Constitution.
• They argued that states could nullify laws they
  thought were unconstitutional.
• The Federalists believed that only the Supreme
  Courts could do this.
• No other states agreed with these resolutions.

8
Federalists Party

• The Alien and Sedition Acts made them look
  tyrannical.
• Adams peace treaty with France split the party.
• They made the government work with a solid
  financial base.
• They won respect for America from around the
  world.
• They established a new capital in Washington D.C.

9
The Election of 1800

• J. Adams (Fed) 65 votes.
• C. Pinckney (Fed) 64 votes.
• T. Jefferson (DR) 73 votes.
• A. Burr (DR) 73 votes.
• Even though Jefferson and Burr tied, their party
  preferred Jefferson.
• Burr would not step aside so the H of R had to
  vote.
• After 35 rounds and help from Hamilton, Jefferson
  won.