The Adams Administration

Objective To determine how Adams kept the United States out of a devastating conflict, but lost his bid at reelection.

Background The Electoral College: the group of each state’s electors who choose the president of the United States.

Background During a Presidential Election (in most states)… –Citizens in a state vote for their candidates of choice. –Whichever candidate wins the most popular votes in that state wins all of that state’s electoral votes. –The electoral votes are cast by electors. They choose the president based on which candidate won the most popular votes in the state where the electors are from.

Background For example… –If 51% of voters in Massachusetts voted for Barack Obama, and 49% voted for John McCain, Barack Obama would win ALL of Massachusetts’ 12 electoral votes. –When the electors are asked to cast their votes, all 12 will vote for Barack Obama.

I. John Adams President: –Boston lawyer, member of the Second Continental Congress, Washington’s VP –Short, stout, brilliant, argumentative –Spoke longest sentence in inaugural address ever. –First president to ever live in the White House –He was also a staunch Federalist

I. John Adams President Adams, Vice President Jefferson –By a freak accident, Adams won the presidency, and Jefferson won the vice- presidency (runners up used to be chosen as vice presidents). –Why would this constitute a problem for Adams?

II. Domestic Affairs Tensions in the Adams Administration –Adams kept all of Washington’s cabinet members, except Hamilton (who had retired) –However, Adams’ authority was undercut by the retired Alexander Hamilton. –Hamilton stayed in close contact with Adams’ advisors, leading some to believe that Hamilton was really president!

III. Foreign Affairs Tensions Abroad –After the Jay Treaty, France began to impress more and more American sailors. –Adams sent ambassadors to France to try and resolve the problem.

III. Foreign Affairs The XYZ Affair –However, when the American ambassadors arrived, French officials (identified only as X, Y and Z) would not allow them to negotiate until the Americans had paid France a large bribe. –When news of this extortion broke, Americans were enraged “Millions for defense, not a penny for tribute!”

III. Foreign Affairs France and America began an undeclared naval war, known as the Quasi-War.

III. Foreign Affairs Adams stands firm –Adams did NOT want a war –Hamilton and most Americans DID want a war. –Adams resisted asking Congress for a declaration of war. –He did cave into pressure by Hamilton and the Federalist Congress to pass the Alien and Sedition Acts.

III. Foreign Affairs The Repression of Dissent –Alien Act: allowed Adams to deport non-citizens. –Naturalization Act: raised citizenship requirement from 5 to 14 years of residency. –Sedition Act: Made any “malicious” or “false” statements about the President punishable by fine or imprisonment.

III. Foreign Affairs Public Backlash –The American public responded harshly to these acts, and Adams lost a great deal of popularity. –This would lead to his defeat in the election of –To his credit, Adams kept America from war with the Convention of 1800.

Adams, despite the fact he saved the US from a war it could not win, lost the presidency to Jefferson.