President John Adams John Adams o o o

President John Adams

John Adams o o o o 1797 -1801 Federalist Massachusetts Was a Founding Father Washington’s VP 1 st President to live in White House Died on 50 th Anniversary of Dec. of Ind.

Election of 1796 o John Adams is elected as the 2 nd President n o Adams was a Federalist Jefferson is the runner up and serves as VP n Jefferson is a “Republican”

XYZ Affair (1798) o o o French are angry with America Angry at Jay’s Treaty the French are harassing our shipping Adams sends diplomats to meet with the French and push for peace n Americans are met by secret French officials named “X’, “Y”, and “Z” o They demand a $250, 000 bribe and a $10 million dollar loan to speak with officials n Americans refuse, return home and are called heroes o Named the XYZ Affair

Quasi War with France (17981800) o o French Rev. overthrows gov’t U. S. refuses to pay war debt, claims debt was to previous regime French begin to seize and harass U. S. ships n Many Americans want full scale war with France (still angry over XYZ Affair) n Adams wants to continue Washington’s neutrality and does not feel U. S. can defeat France Adams refuses to ask for a declaration of war n U. S. and France engage in small naval battles n Approx. 50 deaths on each side

John Adams: Domestic Affairs o o Alien Act (1798) n Now takes 14 years (not 5) to become a citizen n Dangerous aliens can be deported or detained at president’s discretion Sedition Act (1798) n Illegal and punishable by jail time to criticize President or Congress in the Press o Reasoning n n n o Many immigrants supported the D-R Afraid of French ideals spreading Many newspapers criticized Federalist Impact / Importance n n Limit on 1 st Amendment Jefferson does not enforce laws when Pres

The New Alien and Sedition Acts o o Travel Ban Executive order 13769 n Admit only 50 k n Suspend refugee immigration for 120 Days n No more Syrian Refugees n Suspend immigration from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen for 90 days o Fake News n n “So much Fake News being put in dying magazines and newspapers. Only place worse maybe @NBCNews, @CBSNews, @ABC and @CNN. Fiction writers!” – 10/17/17 “Network news has become so partisan, distorted and fake that licenses must be challenged and, if appropriate, revoked. Not fair to public!” – 10/11/17

Democratic-Republican Response to Alien and Sedition Acts o Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions (1798/99) n n n Passed by the two state legislatures Written by Jefferson (he was the VP!!!!) and Madison Argued states had the right to declare laws unconstitutional and to “nullify” them o o No real basis for this ideal South would hold onto this idea and bring it up again with tariffs and slavery

The End of the Federalist o o Ultimately the Federalist did get America off on strong economic and sound planning Adams failure to handle European affairs and to stop the seizing and impressment of soldiers will cost the Federalist Power