Ch6/Sec4: John Adams’ Presidency
The Election of 1796:
- 2 political parties (groups that help elect people & shape policies),
despite Pres. Washington’s warning against political parties
 Federalist Party (founded by Hamilton): John Adams & Thomas
Pinckney
 Democratic-Republican (founded by Jefferson and Madison):
Thomas Jefferson & Aaron Burr
- President: John Adams, Vice President: Thomas Jefferson
Significance: the 1st peaceful transition of power in the nation
Circumstances of Adam’s presidency:
- huge shoes to fill after Pres. George Washington
- a nation increasingly divided by party differences
- threat of war with the French (due to Jay’s Treaty w/ GB)
Events during the Adams Administration:
1) The XYZ Affair:
- France angered by Jay’s Treaty with Great Britain  began capturing
U.S. ships in French harbors 
- Pres. Adams sends U.S. officials to France to make peace
- U.S. officials are greeted by 3 French secret agents, referred to as X, Y,
and Z, who demanded a $250,00 bribe & a $12 million loan to France
b/f allowing the Americans to see the French foreign minister 
- Offended, the U.S. officials return to a patriotic U.S. 
- The Pres. asks Congress to expand the navy & keep a standing army 
- The U.S. & France began seizing each other’s ships in the Caribbean (=
undeclared naval war)
2) The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798:
- Using the war crisis, the Federalists push new measures through
Congress:
 Increasing the size of the military
 Raising taxes
 Passing the Alien & Sedition Acts:
a) Pres. can imprison/deport foreign citizens living in the U.S.
b) Criticism of gov.’t officials w/o proof was illegal  used to quiet
Jeffersonian-Republicans’ opposition
↓
3) The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions: Jeffersonian-Republicans, and
even James Madison, believed that the Alien and Sedition Acts violated
the 1st Amendment (“freedom of speech”) BUT, who was to decide???
VA & KY Resolutions: the 2 states’ legislatures declared the Alien and
Sedition Acts unconstitutional (illegal, null & void) but was not enforced
Significance: principle of nullification & defiance of federal power
(Marbury vs. Madison in 1803)