1. The Adams Administration
The Constitution in Crisis

2. USHC 1.5
Explain how the fundamental principle of limited government is protected by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, including democracy, republicanism, federalism, the separation of powers, the system of checks and balances, and individual rights.
USHC 1.6
Analyze the development of the two-party system during the presidency of George Washington, including controversies over domestic and foreign policies and the regional interests of the [Jeffersonian] Republicans and the Federalists.

3. Washington’s Farewell Address
WARNINGS:
Political Partisanship
Sectionalism
Foreign Entanglements
Respect the Constitution

4. The Adams Administration
ACTIONS:
Political Partisanship
Sectionalism
Foreign Entanglements
Respect the Constitution

5. VS. The Election of 1796 John Adams Thomas Jefferson FEDERALIST
REPUBLICAN

6. SECTIONALISM
1796
1800

7. The Endurance of Sectionalism

8. The Constitution, as originally written, made no provisions for political parties. The original formula for the selection of the President and Vice President reflected this.

9. The Results: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, FEDERALIST REPUBLICAN
President
Thomas Jefferson,
Vice President
FEDERALIST
REPUBLICAN

11. Gazette of the United States
Partisan Newspapers
Gazette of the United States
(Federalist)
National Gazette
(Republican)

12. tOOTHLESS
BLIND
old
crippled
Bald
Adams
Querulous

13. The Griswold-Lyon Fight
1798

14. I’ve got 99 problems… Partisanship’s only one.

15. Gov. Involvement in Economy Federal Assumption of State War Debts
FEDERALISTS
The First Party System
REPUBLICANS
HAMILTON
John Adams
Leaders
JEFFERSON
James Madison
Strong CENTRAL Gov.
Federalism
States’ Rights
Anarchy / Mob Rule
Fears
Tyranny
LOOSE Construction
Constitution
STRICT Construction
YES
Gov. Involvement in Economy NO
VERY YES
National Bank
Protective Tariff
Federal Assumption of State War Debts
Urban (Commerce)
Support Base
Rural (Agrarian)
Anglophiles
Foreign Policy
Francophiles

16. The “Quasi-War”
Undeclared naval conflict between the US and France ( ).
The XYZ Affair

17. To the wicked, everything serves as a pretext.
Voltaire

18. The Alien and Sedition Acts
1798
Allowed the President to deport undesirable aliens
Extended the residency requirement for citizenship from 5 to 14 years
Naturalization Act Alien Friends Act Alien Enemies Act
Constitutional?

19. Were the Alien Acts constitutional?
To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization…
From Article I, Section 8:
DELEGATED

20. The Alien and Sedition Acts
1798
EXPIRATION DATE: /4/1801
Outlawed the publication of "false, scandalous, and malicious writing" against the government
Constitutional?
Sedition Act

21. Was the Sedition Act constitutional?
From Amendment I:
Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press…
RESERVED

22. Clip from HBO’s John Adams (2:46)
EPIC FAIL
The Sedition Act violated the Constitution on two counts:
Free Speech & Press (1st)
States’ Rights (10th)
Clip from HBO’s John Adams (2:46)

23. What Now?

24. Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

25. Federalist No. 10
AMONG the numerous advantages promised by a well constructed Union, none deserves to be more accurately developed than its tendency to break and control the violence of faction…

26. Virginia & Kentucky Resolutions
1798
Protest Resolutions
Passed by
state legislatures
COMPACT THEORY
Jefferson
Madison
The Constitution is a compact (agreement) between the states, and they have the authority to interpret it.

27. Virginia & Kentucky Resolutions
1798
How far can states go in resisting unconstitutional laws passed by the federal government?
Jefferson
Madison
INTERPOSITION
NULLIFICATION

28. Kentucky Resolutions
In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down…by the chains of the Constitution.

29. Jefferson
to John Taylor of Caroline
“A little patience, and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their spells dissolve, and the people, recovering their true sight, restore their government to its true principles.”

30. REVOLUTION?
1796
1800

31. …and Congress, too!