John Adams’ Presidency
1797-1801
Vice President: Thomas Jefferson
Foreign and Domestic Affairs
Establishment of Political
Parties
FEDERALISTS
REPUBLICANS
LEADERS
SUPPORTERS
REGION(S)
STATES’ RIGHTS
CONSTITUTION
Washington Leaves Office
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Farewell Address warns of 2 things:
Permanent alliances and partisan politics
Results of the Election of 1796
Foreign: France
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Jay’s Treaty and France
XYZ Affair 1798
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$12,000,000 loan and $250,000 meeting
Quasi War; 1798 Dept. of Navy
1800- Treaty ending alliance of 1778
High Federalists response
Republicans response
Foreign: Louisiana
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Napoleon at war with Britain, Spain,
Prussia
Spain forced to give Louisiana Territory to
France after falling to France; Treaty of
San Ildefonso October 1, 1800
Jefferson receives news 6 months later
Domestic: Alien and Sedition Acts
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1.
2.
3.
4.
Immigrants supported Republican Party
Alien Enemies Act- deport immigrants of
enemy foreign nation; prevent wartime spying
or sabotage (nat’l security)
Alien Friends Act- deport citizen of any foreign
nation if considered dangerous (Proof?)
Naturalization Act- increased residency
requirement from 5 to 14 years
Sedition Act- in order to protect national
security: illegal to oppose any measure of U.S.
(only one enforceable against U.S. citizens)
Constitutionality
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Founding Fathers recognized that times of
war or imminent danger did call for
exceptions to otherwise guaranteed rights.
Can you find evidence of this in Article 1
of the U.S. Constitution?
Article I
Article I sec. 8 #4/18
Article I sec. 9 # 2
Constitutional? Argument
Summaries
Yes
No
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Duty to protect life,…
Drastic times calls…
Protect against threat
of revolt
Am. 1 didn’t extend to
false/malicious
writings
Gave no new powers
to court
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Freedom of press
Difficult to determine
honest opinion from
libel
Danger that those in
power will prosecute
anyone who speaks
against them
Domino effect?
Republican Response
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Republican newspapers
Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions written
by Madison and Jefferson respectively
Kentucky- nullification
No other state adopted
Balance of power b/t states and federal
gov’t remained a controversial issue.
What happened to the acts?