1. Federalists Ascendant
ADAMS’ PRESIDENCY

2. STARTER – OCTOBER 8TH
What two things did George Washington warn of us in his farewell address?

3. STARTER – OCTOBER 9TH
Should the political opposition have the right to criticize a president’s foreign policy?

4. What were the effects and Alien and Sedition Acts?
STARTER – OCTOBER 10TH
What were the effects and Alien and Sedition Acts?

5. Development of Political Parties
Washington “above” politics, but a federalist
Federalist party emerges
John Adams, Hamilton, etc
Characteristics
Pro industrial development
Pro British
Pro strong central government
“Looser” interpretation of Constitution

6. Development of Political Parties
Democratic-Republicans (D-Rs)
Thomas Jefferson, Madison, etc
Characteristics
Pro agriculture
Pro revolutionary France
Pro “common” man
Pro States rights (vs. strong central government)
Strict interpretation of Constitution

7. Election of 1796 First post-Washington election
John Adams (F) – 71 EV
Thomas Jefferson (D-R) – 68 EV
Thomas Pinckney (F) – 59 EV
Aaron Burr (D-R) – 30 EV
President = John Adams (F)
VP = Thomas Jefferson (D-R)

8. President, VP From Different Parties
Constitution
President to be person with most EVs
VP to be person with second most EVs
No concept of “ticket” or pres, VP running together
Founders did not anticipate rise of political parties
Became big problem in Adams’ Admin.
VP Jefferson
Pres. Adams

9. John Adams Born in Massachusetts Raised a “puritan-lite”
Became a lawyer
Second cousins to Samuel Adams
Joined patriot cause after Stamp Act
Popularized argument “no taxation without representation”

10. John Adams During Rev. War, served in Continental Congress
Served on “Committee of 5”
Looked to for advice on forming governments / writing constitutions

11. Adams in Europe 1777 – Adams sent to France as diplomat
Sent back to Europe to negotiate peace treaty,
Continued to serve as ambassador to Holland ( ), England ( )
Portrait of Treaty of Paris negotiators
(British refused to pose – portrait never
Finished)

12. "My country has in its wisdom contrived for me the most insignificant
Vice President Adams
Came in second in election of 1788, 1792 (second of revolutionary generation, only after Washington)
Washington rarely asked Adams’ opinion
Adams’ main job = president of Senate
His opinion on the Vice- presidency:
"My country has in its wisdom contrived for me the most insignificant
office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived."

13. President Adams: Foreign Policy
Continued neutrality
Adams wanted to stay out of war between Britain, France
Problem: Jay’s Treaty angered French, so they began attacking American shipping
Adams sent diplomats to negotiate with French (Pinckney, Gerry, Marshall)
French (in distance) bearing down
on damaged American ship

14. John Adams: XYZ Affair
Three French agents demanded $250k bribe, $12 million loan to help French fight wars and public apology just to let Americans see French foreign minister
Americans went home, instead
Americans (at left) facing French
revolutionary demands, in US
newspaper cartoon

15. John Adams: XYZ Affair
Jefferson demanded to see reports from diplomats (Why?)
Released to public, changing French agents’ names to X, Y and Z
Huge public outcry: “Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute!”
Token handed out during XYZ Affair

16. Assignment
The scenario: Imagine that someone is blackmailing you for $1,000. If you do not pay, they will tell your parents (or friends, boyfriend, etc) your deepest darkest secret. You have the money to pay them….but you really don’t want to.
What is your final decision? Why?

17. JOHN ADAMS: “QUASI-WAR”
Quasi-War: No declaration, but French, American warships attacked each other and merchant ships
American negotiators offered French same terms as Jays Treaty, but French refused
1800: Adams renegotiated treaty
US drops claim for damaged merchant ships
France released US from alliance of 1778
Weakened US affection for French
USS Constellation – active during
Quasi War

18. John Adams: Domestic Affairs
Alien-Sedition Acts (1798)
Alien Friends Act
Authorized the president to deport any resident alien considered "dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States.”
Aimed at French sympathizers
Alien Enemies Act (still in effect)
authorized the president to apprehend and deport resident aliens if their home countries were at war with the United States
Naturalization Act
Extended the duration of residence required for aliens to become citizens to 14 years
Sedition Act
made it a crime to publish "false, scandalous, and malicious writing" against the government or its officials

19. John Adams: Domestic Affairs
“Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof; or abridging the
freedom of speech, or of the
Press . . .”
Reaction to Sedition Act
Jefferson: Unconstitutional!!
First Amendment
Tenth Amendment
No Judicial Review yet (M v M in 1803) – thus, exercise of “undelegated powers” by Feds
TJ, James Madison introduce KY and VA Resolutions
Called on states to nullify laws
Compact theory: US made up of voluntary union of states giving some power to central gov’t; but states do not give away their sovereignty
If state’s sovereignty violated, then state had right to nullify Federal act or secede from union
“The powers not delegated to
the United States by the
Constitution, nor prohibited by
it to the States, are reserved to
the States respectively, or to
the people.”

20. John Adams: Domestic Affairs
Alien-Sedition Acts in Action
No aliens deported (many fled)
25 people, mainly D-R newspaper editors, arrested under Sedition Act (incl. 1 congressman!)
11 tried, 10 convicted
Led to end of Federalist Party
Federalists tossed out of office
After his election, President Jefferson pardoned all those convicted under Sedition Act
The power of the press . . .

21. The 1800 Election
One of the nastiest elections ever (slander, personal attacks)
Jefferson v. Adams
Campaign destroyed friendship, for years
Jefferson, Burr tie; election goes to Federalist House
On 35 ballots, deadlocked 8 states to 8 states
On 36th ballot, Hamilton convinced other Federalists to change vote to Jefferson (Burr was personal enemy)
Jefferson (D-R) 73
Burr (D-R) 73
J. Adams (F) 65
Pinckney (F) 64

22. Federalists lose control of legislature, Fed bureaucracy
1800 Election Aftermath
12th Amendment
President, VP run as a ticket
Each elector casts 1 vote for a president, & 1 vote for a VP
President, VP must win absolute majority of EC votes
Deadlocks go to House, where each state gets one vote for any of top 3 tickets
Federalists lose control of legislature, Fed bureaucracy
Adams: Midnight appointments to judiciary (eventually leads to Marbury v. Madison)

23. New Republic Timeline Constitutional Convention Shay’s Rebellion
Adoption of the Articles of Confederation
Shays’ Rebellion
George Washington’s Presidency
John Adam’s Presidency
XYZ Affair
Election of 1796
Election of 1800
Jay’s Treaty
Whiskey Rebellion
Choose 8 of the events listed below.
You will plot those 8 events on a timeline.
You will draw a picture in the background of your timeline that represents on of those events.
On the back or a separate sheet of paper, write a 3 sentence description of each even you chose.
Pinckney’s Treaty
Judiciary Act of 1789
Quasi-War
Alien and Sedition Acts
Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
Adoption of the Constitution