1. Essential Question:
How did the Adams presidency exaggerate the growth of American political party politics?
Lesson Plan for Wednesday, September 17: Warm-Up Question, Adams notes, Hamilton/Jefferson comparison chart

2. The Adams Presidency

3. The Election of 1796
Adams won the presidency & the Federalists controlled the national gov’t from
The political parties that quietly emerged during Washington’s presidency played a pivotal role in the election of 1796
Former VP John Adams (Federalist)
Thomas Jefferson (Republican) 19 19

4. VP Jefferson & the Republicans constantly attacked Adams policies
The Adams Presidency
VP Jefferson & the Republicans constantly attacked Adams policies
Adams attempted to continue with Washington’s policies
But…his administration was plagued with problems:
Jefferson, his campaign opponent, was now his VP
Most of Adam’s cabinet took their orders from Hamilton who had retired with Washington
Tensions with France emerged
Hamilton was the unquestioned leader of the Federalist Party, who undermined Adams by advising the cabinet to ignore the president

5. The XYZ Affair & Quasi-War
During Adams’ administration relations with France declined:
France interpreted Jay’s Treaty as an alliance with England
France seized & impressed American merchant ships
An American diplomatic mission to France failed when 3 French officials (X, Y, Z) demand bribes ;
Provoked anti-French outrage in US; Federalists attempted to crush Dem-Reps by branding them as pro-French 20 20

6. French “impressment” of American sailors

7. The XYZ Affair & Quasi-War
The XYZ Affair led to anti-French sentiment in America & led to a “quasi-war” with France:
The U.S. tripled its armed forces to prepare for a French invasion
Adams created the Dept of Navy
The quasi-war increased the dislike between the Federalists leaders Adams & Hamilton
Hamilton convinced Washington to pressure Adams to name him control of the army
“Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute!”
Adams was forced to do so, but retaliated by failing to approve many key army appointments & decisions

8. The Alien and Sedition Acts
Federalists used Alien & Sedition Acts to silence Repub criticisms:
Alien Enemies Act—presidential power to expel any foreigner
Naturalization Act—must be a U.S. resident for 14 years to gain citizenship & vote
Sedition Act—made criticism of the gov’t a criminal act
These acts were enforced by Federalist appointed judges 22 22

9. Kentucky & Virginia Resolutions
Republicans saw Alien & Sedition Acts as a dire threat to liberty:
Jefferson & Madison authored the Virginia & Kentucky Resolves suggesting that states could nullify federal laws that they saw as unconstitutional
VA & KY Resolves weakened the Federalists & planted seeds of nullification that would be used to justify the Civil War 23 23

10. Adams’s Finest Hour
In 1799, Adams sent a diplomatic envoy back to France to address the XYZ “misunderstanding”:
Napoleon voided the 1778 treaty that tied the U.S. to France
France ended its trade restrictions in the West Indies
Adams dismantled Hamilton's expensive & useless army
The improved relations paved the way for the Louisiana Purchase 24 24

11. Peaceful Resolution: The Election of 1800

12. The “Revolution of 1800” The Federalists were fatally divided by 1800:
Hamilton tried to undermine Adams’ reelection
Jefferson won election (despite a tie with VP candidate Burr)
1800 was a “revolutionary” election because the presidency was peacefully transferred from one political party to another 25 25

13. In his inaugural address, Jefferson claimed: “We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists”
To avoid another Jefferson-Burr tie, Congress passed the 12th Amendment which put presidential & VP candidates on separate ballots