President John Adams1797-1801

XYZ Affair

1) America is on the verge of war with France.2) During negotiation, French agents X, Y, and

Z asked for a bribe from American diplomats.3) So as not to outrage Americans and increase

cries for war, Adams kept the incident secret.4) Dem-Reps thought Adams was keeping the

incident secret because it was favorable to the French

5) Finally, Adams revealed the whole story, provoking undeclared war for two years.

Father of the Navy

• Adams fosters America’s navy to fight the French

Adams’ “mistake of my life”

• Alien Act• Raised residence

requirement for American citizenship from 5 to 14 years

• Allowed president to jail or deport any alien deemed undesirable

Adams’ “mistake of my life”

• Sedition Act• Set fines and jail

terms for anyone who said or wrote anything bad about the government.

Nullification• Jefferson and Madison thought Alien and

Sedition Acts unconstitutional• They convinced Kentucky and Virginia

to pass nullification acts.• Nullification: States have a right to

ignore any act of Congress they deem unconstitutional

Election of 1800

• Jefferson crushed Adams! • South voted for Jefferson,

north voted for Adams• But Aaron Burr tied Jefferson

Election of 1800

• Ties go to House of Representatives

• After 35 ballots, all ties, Hamilton convinced Federalists to throw the election to Jefferson

The Midnight Appointments• Before leaving office, Adams

appointed many Federalist judges• But there was not enough time to

deliver official appointment papers to all appointees.

• Major supreme court decision: Marbury vs. Madison

Marbury vs. Madison