chapter 7, section 4
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Chapter 7, Section 4. John Adams’s Presidency. The Election of 1796. New Era in United States Politics More than one candidate ran for president John Adams (Federalist) vs. Thomas Jefferson (Republican) - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Chapter 7, Section 4John Adams’s Presidency
The Election of 1796 New Era in United States Politics
More than one candidate ran for president John Adams (Federalist) vs.
Thomas Jefferson (Republican)
What did each side stand for ?(Don’t write this part. You already did, didn’t you? It’s okay)
A New President
John Adams would have to work hard to win the people’s trust George Washington was adored
by the people Even those who opposed him
respected him Hard-working, honest, and
intelligent
The United States and France John Adams wanted to improve foreign
relations with France Sent United States diplomats overseas Upon arrival, diplomats were ignored by
Foreign Minister Talleyrand and instead visited by 3 French secret agents Agents said that a treaty would only be
discussed in exchange for a $250,000 bribe and a loan of $12 million
The United States diplomats refused the demands
The United States and France In March of 1798, President John Adams
told Congress that the peace-seeking mission had failed Informed Congress of the French terms,
substituting the letters X,Y, and Z for the names of the French Secret Agents
Federalists in Congress called for war with France
XYZ Affair Americans were outraged at such disrespect
Preparations for War President John Adams asked Congress to
expand the navy to a fleet of more than 30 ships and called for the United States to keep a peacetime army Congress approved both measures
President Adams did not want to go to war with France Worried about cost Did not ask Congress for a declaration of war Tried to reopen peace talks with France
Peace EffortsPresident John Adams’s decision not
to declare war stunned FederalistsAmerican and French ships engaged
in fighting in the Caribbean John Adams sent a representative to
France and eventually, a treaty was signed President Adams then forced two
members of his cabinet to resign for trying to block his peace efforts
The Alien and Sedition Acts
Democratic-Republicans continued to sympathize with France
Alien and Sedition Acts Passed by Federalist controlled Congress 4 laws said to protect the United States but
really intended to crush opposition to war Sedition Act
Controversial law which forbade anyone from publishing or voice criticism of the federal government
Violated freedom of speech and freedom of press
The Alien and Sedition Acts Thomas Jefferson and James Madison
Viewed acts as misuse of government power Wrote resolutions passed by the Kentucky
state legislature in 1798 and Virginia in 1799 (Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions) Argued that the Alien and Sedition Acts were
unconstitutional Congress did not repeal the acts, but allowed
them to expire within a few years The Resolutions supported the idea that states
could challenge the federal government
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson
Longtime political rivals Abigail Adams death helped the two men to
reconcile Close and personal correspondence for the
remainder of their lives Both died on July 4, 1826
Both architects of the document (the Declaration of Independence) that gave birth to this new Nation dead, 50 years to the day from the birth of the country they founded.
John Adams’s last words were “Thomas Jefferson survives” Thomas Jefferson had died only a few hours earlier