John Adams * Lived *Died same day as Thomas Jefferson - July 4, 1826 * Presidency Mass. Teacher and Lawyer *Federalist Party Washington’s Vice President

Adams Cont. Election of 1796 – *First election to have political parties*- -Federalists chose John Adams -Democratic-Republicans chose Thomas Jefferson. – Adams is elected president with 71 electoral votes and Jefferson finished second with 68 votes making him vice president. – *Only presidency to have both parties represented in the Executive branch.^

Adams Cont. XYZ Affair – The French were seizing American ships to prevent Americans from trading with the British. – *Three anonymous French trouble-makers brought France and the U.S. to the brink of war – *Despite public pressure, Adams refused to ask Congress to declare war on France – Alien Act -7/6/1798 – Allowed the President to imprison Aliens (foreign citizens) he considered dangerous to the United States. Sedition Act – 7/14/1798 – Made it a crime to speak, write, or publish “false, scandalous, and or malicious criticisms of the US government” **Many Americans believed that these Acts violated the First Amendment rights of free speech and free press.^

Adams Cont. Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions of 1798 and 1799 – Claimed that the Alien and Sedition acts could be nullified (canceled) because they violated the Constitution. – *These resolutions claimed that states had the right to nullify federal laws if they believed the law was unconstitutional.* **Adams refused to go to war with France just to win an election Not going to war cost him votes in the Federalist party in the Election of 1800.

Adams Cont. Judiciary Act of 1801 – Supreme and circuit courts would be divided – Adams and John Marshall stacked the courts with Federalists in the remaining months of his Presidency. Midnight Judges Midnight judges were last minute appointment of judges by John Adams before he left office. William Marbury never received his appointment papers. *He sued new Secretary of State James Madison, leading to the court case of Marbury v. Madison.^ (the court case will take place after Thomas Jefferson become president.)

John Adams’ Contributions to the U.S. defended the British troops after the Boston Massacre worked with Jefferson on the Declaration of Independence promoted the cause of independence at the Continental Congress served as a diplomat (representative) overseas served as the first Vice President of the United States served as the second President of the United States