consider:
Should the president, as the elected
leader of the U.S., do what the
people of the U.S. want?
essential question:
How did the precedents and other
important accomplishments of the
Federalist Period (1789-1820) help
make the United States what it is
today? PART 2: ADAM’S PRESIDENCY
The XYZ Affair
• the problem: the U.S. faced its most
serious foreign affair yet—an undeclared
naval war with France
USS Boston, a 700ton 28-gun frigate,
was built at Boston,
Massachusetts,
paid for by public
subscription during
the undeclared war
with France.
• what it was: when Adams sent a
negotiating team to France, three French
representative (later known as X, Y, and Z)
demanded the U.S. pay a $250,000 bribe
and provide a $10 million loan just to speak
to someone
Original caption:
Cinque-tetes, or
the Paris Monster.
Political cartoon
on the XYZ Affair
showing staunch
Americans
resisting the
threats and
demands for
money from
Revolutionary
France.
• why this made Adams unpopular: this
“XYZ affair” led to a popular demand for
war, though Adams kept us out of war with
France
Booo-o-oo!
Use the space provided to design a bumper
sticker for your buggy that has a slogan
that expresses the popular reaction to the
XYZ Affair.
Millions for defense,
but not one cent for
tribute!
The Alien and Sedition Acts
• the problem: Adams, a Federalist, wanted
to weaken the Republicans (most
Republicans supported France)
I’ll get you,
Jefferson!
• what they were:
laws that made it
tougher for
immigrants
(aliens) to
become a
citizens and vote;
laws that made it
a crime to speak
out against the
government
(sedition)
• why this made Adams unpopular: these
gave the Federalists a reputation for
abusing power to weaken their rivals
How did the Alien Act weaken the
Democratic-Republicans?
How did the Sedition Act weaken the
Democratic-Republicans?
Write a comment that could get you
arrested under the Alien and Sedition
Acts (please keep it clean). Example:
“Adams should be tarred and
feathered.”
The Virginia and Kentucky
Resolutions
• the problem: Thomas Jefferson and
James Madison wanted to speak out
against Adams without violating the
Sedition Act
Don’t tell Adams
we said it, but the
Alien and
Sedition Acts are
wack!
• what they were: Jefferson and Madison
wrote resolutions criticizing the Alien and
Sedition Acts;
they then had the Virginia and Kentucky’s
state legislatures adopt these resolutions;
here, we first see
the idea of
nullification (states
can declare a
federal law null
and void)
• why this made Adams unpopular: these
said the Acts violated the 1st Amendment
right to freedom of expression;
Adams looked bad because he could not
enforce the Sedition Act against both
states’ legislatures
How would John Adams have reacted
to the Virginia and Kentucky
Resolutions? Why?
Do you agree with the idea of
nullification? Why or why not?
Write the following terms in the blank where the term is being described:
XYZ Affair; Alien and Sedition Acts; Virginia and
Kentucky Resolutions. Each term will be used more than once.
How did each of these make Adams unpopular?
This made Adams unpopular because he could not enforce the very laws
he and his party passed.
This made Adams unpopular because he did not go to war when American
voters wanted to fight.
This made Adams unpopular because he used his position in government
to attack his political enemies.
What did each define about the young U.S.?
Presidents will often make a decision that they think is right rather than a
popular decision.
Elected officials sometimes abuse their power in order to limit the power of
those that oppose them.
Any laws that limit freedoms will meet resistance in America.
State governments will often try to find ways to stop an unpopular federal
law in their state.