1. Chapter 9
Section 4

2. Opposing Parties
President Washington warned against political parties.
He was afraid that political parties would divide the nation.
Others thought that it was natural for people to disagree about issues.
By 1796, Americans were beginning to split into two different groups.
The two political parties that formed were called Federalists and Democratic-Republicans.

3. Election of 1796 In 1796, there was a presidential election.
The Federalists chose John Adams for president.
The Republicans chose Thomas Jefferson.
This was the first time candidates identified themselves as members of political parties.

4. Election of 1796 Adams won the election. Jefferson finished second.
Under the Constitution at that time, the person with the second-highest number of electoral votes became vice president.
Jefferson became the new vice president.
The new government in 1797 had a Federalist president and a Republican vice president.

5. John Adams 2nd President Federalist
Signs the controversial Alien and Sedition Acts

6. The U.S & France
One of Adams first goals as president was to improve relations with France.
Who remembers what happened with France during Washington’s presidency?

7. The XYZ Affair
Adams sent a team to Paris to smooth over the conflict and to negotiate a treaty.
When the diplomats arrived in France, they learned that French foreign minister Talleyrand would not speak to them.
Instead, they had visit from three French agents. The agents said that Talleyrand would discuss a treaty only in exchange for a 250,000 bribe.
The French government also wanted a loan for $10 million.

8. The XYZ Affair The amazed diplomats refused this deal.
Adams told congress of that the peace- seeking mission had failed.
He described the French terms, substituting the letters X, Y, and Z for the names of the French agents.
Upon hearing the news the Federalist in Congress called for war with France!

9. The XYZ Affair
The XYZ affair outraged the American public, they chanted “Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute”

10. Preparing for War
Adams asked Congress for military support. However, he did not want to go to war with France.
Adams decision not to declare war stunned Federalist.
Despite intense pressure from members in his own party, Adams refused to change his mind.

11. The Alien and Sedition Acts
Federalist controlled congress passed four laws known together as the Alien and Sedition Acts.
Americans became more suspicious of aliens—residents who are not citizens. Many Europeans who had come to the United States in the 1790s supported the ideals of the French Revolution. Some Americans questioned whether these aliens would remain loyal if the United States went to war with France.

12. The Alien and Sedition Acts
The most controversial was the Sedition Act, which forbade anyone from publishing or voicing criticism of the federal government.
In effect, this cancelled basic protections of freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
Democratic Republican leader Jefferson and Madison urged congress to repeal these acts.
They made a series of documents known as the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, which stated that the Alien and Sedition Acts were unconstitutional.

13. Congress did not repeal the acts, however allowed them to expire within a few years.