THE FIRST
POLITICAL
PARTIES AND
JOHN ADAMS
PRESIDENCY
Partner Talk
What did Washington
warn against in his
Farewell Address?
POLITICAL PARTIES
 by 1796 Americans were beginning to
divide into opposing groups
 2 Political Parties: Democratic –
Republicans & Federalists
 Hamilton and Jefferson (both in
Washington’s cabinet, disagreed on
economic policy, foreign relations, power
of the federal government, & interpreting
the Constitution
FEDERALISTS
 leader = Alexander Hamilton
 stood for a strong federal
government
 national bank, protective tariffs,
British alliance
 loose interpretation of the
Constitution
 rule by the wealthy class
DEMOCRATIC-REPUBLICANS
 Leader = Thomas Jefferson
 rule by the people (ordinary
people)
 strong state governments
 strict interpretation of the Constitution
 French alliance, state banks, free
Trade
Partner Talk
Despite George Washington
warning against the formation of
political parties, why AND how
did the first political parties
emerge?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KnPB37YB7I
ELECTION OF 1796
John Adams =
President (Federalists)
Thomas Jefferson =
Vice President
(Republican)
XYZ AFFAIR
 The French regarded Jay’s Treaty as an
American attempt to support Britain in the
war so the French seized U.S. cargo ships
 Adams wanted to avoid war so he sent
delegates to resolve the dispute
 Charles de Talleyrand – French foreign
minister refused to meet with the
Americans & sent 3 agents who
demanded a bribe & loan for France
XYZ video clip
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORbiuW
EQW6s
UNDECLARED WAR
between 1798 – 1800 U.S.
& French naval forces
clashed (war wasn’t formally
declared) & in 1800 a peace
agreement was negotiated
ALIEN & SEDITION ACT
 Suspicions arose against aliens (people
thought they would not be loyal to the
U.S.)
 Alien Act – allowed president to imprison
aliens or send them out of the country
 Sedition Act – made it a crime to speak,
write, or publish criticisms of the
government (UNCONSTITUTIONAL)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUH-xtkovxg
VIRGINIA & KENTUCKY
RESOLUTIONS
affirmed the principle of
states’ rights –limiting the
federal government to those
powers clearly assigned to it
by the Constitution
NULLIFICATION
 Jefferson and Madison secretly
wrote the Virginia and Kentucky
Resolutions.
 The Resolutions said States could
nullify, meaning legally overturn,
unconstitutional federal laws
 The States’ Rights argument was
used often during early U.S. history
John Adams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqAt8A0W
204
The following slides are not in your notes
Virginia & Kentucky Resolutions
 Affirmed principal of States Rights
 Federal Governments' power is
outlined by the constitution only
FALL OF THE FEDERALISTS
 Election of 1800 was approaching
 Criticized for the over-broad laws
Federalists wanted Adams to step
up war with France
 Adams refused to rush
 Negotiated treaty with France to
stop attacks on American ships
FALL OF THE FEDERALISTS
 Adams did right for America
 It likely cost him the election
 Jefferson wins Presidency in 1800
 Jefferson pardoned those
convicted under the Sedition Act
 Congress restored all fines paid
with interest.
JOHN ADAMS… AVOIDED
WAR, BUT COST HIM THE
1800 ELECTION…