Transcript SECTION FOUR – JOHN ADAM’S PRESIDENCY THE ELECTION of 1796 ● Washington called it quits and retired to Mt.

SECTION FOUR –
JOHN ADAM’S PRESIDENCY
THE ELECTION of 1796
● Washington called it quits and
retired to Mt. Vernon, Virginia
● 1796 started a new era in
American politics
● More than one candidate ran
for president
● Political parties began despite
Washington’s warnings
● Political parties are groups
that help elect people and shape
politics
■ Federalist Party
■ Democratic-Republican Party
Federalist Party
Democratic –Republican
● Founded by Alexander
Hamilton
● Founded by Thomas Jefferson
and James Madison
● Wanted a strong federal
government
● Wanted to limit federal the
federal governments power (state
power)
● Supported industry and trade
● Supported agriculture or
farming
● Chose John Adams and
Thomas Pinckney as their main
candidates
● Chose Thomas Jefferson and
Aaron Burr as their main
candidates
● Supported by business people
from cities (urban)
● Supported by farmers from
more isolated areas (rural)
THE ELECTION of 1796
● Tennessee was now a state and
there were 138 total electoral votes
● That meant you needed 70 to
become president
● Pinckney finished third with 59
votes and Burr was fourth with 30
votes-all other candidates received
48 total
● Jefferson became the vice
president even though he was from
a different party-finished 2nd
● I wonder how this will work out
● Jefferson was following a legend
A NEW PRESIDENT
● Adams was a leading Patriot
from the Revolutionary Period,
was a foreign diplomat, and
was a two-term vice president
● Was viewed as a cold, distant
person and lacked
Washington’s dignity
● He was respected because of
his honesty, intelligence and
hard work
● He will be tested multiple
times while serving as
President
● Adams wanted to improve
America’s relationship with France
● Washington and France had a
problem over privateers
● Adams sent diplomats in July,
1797 to France to negotiate a treaty
to protect our U.S. shipping and
make sure relations were good
● The diplomats were Charles
Pinckney, John Marshall, and
Elbridge Gerry
● They tried to meet with the
French minister of foreign affairs
(Marquis de Talleyrand) and
were ignored.
● Three French agents called X, Y,
and Z (not real names) told the
American diplomats if they loaned
France 12 million dollars and pay a
250,000 dollar bribe, the minister
would meet with them
● Our diplomats were insulted and
refused the demands
● Charles Pinckney and John
Marshall left for America and
Elbridge Gerry stayed to try and
keep negotiating
● President Adams told Congress in
March 1798 that a peace-keeping
mission had failed.
● Congress was very upset by this,
especially the Federalists
● Federalists called for war with
France
● This became known as the XYZ
Affair
● “Millions for defense, but not one
cent for tribute!” became a rallying
call for Americans
PREPARATIONS FOR WAR
● On April 30, 1798, President John
Adams signed a congressional act
establishing the Department of the
Navy and to build 30 new ships.
● By the end of 1798, the navy owned
14 completed vessels and had more
under construction.
● Adams also got permission from
Congress to begin a peacetime army
● Adams DID NOT want Congress to
declare war even though he had built
up the military
● He knew we didn’t have the money
to fight the war
PEACE EFFORTS
● He tried to re-open negotiations for
peace with France
● His party wanted him to declare
war, but he refused
● America and France entered into
what is known as the Quasi-War
from July 7, 1798 until September
30, 1800 when they signed the Treaty
The USS Constellation was the
US Navy’s first commissioned
ship in 1797.
The Quasi-War was
an undeclared war
fought entirely at sea
● Democratic-Republicans still
supported France in many
cases.
● The Alien and Sedition Acts
were actually four separate
laws and were passed by a
Federalist Congress and
signed by President Adams in
1798
● The Federalists believed that
Democratic-Republican
criticism of Federalist policies
was disloyal and feared that
aliens living in the United
States would sympathize with
the French during a war
● These laws were designed to
silence and weaken the
Democratic-Republican Party.
● Madison and Jefferson the leading
Democratic-Republicans thought these
acts were a misuse of government power.
● They wrote the Kentucky and Virginia
Resolutions that passed their states in
1798 and 1799.
● The resolutions argued that the Alien
and Sedition Acts were unconstitutional
● They believed that states had the right
and duty to declare unconstitutional any
acts of Congress that were not
authorized by the Constitution
● They argued for states' rights and
strict constructionism of the
Constitution
● Congress never enacted these, but they
symbolized that states could challenge
federal law