President John Adams and the “French Problem”

President John Adams

The XYZ Affair

The Alien and Sedition Acts

The Election of 1796

Adams is elected president in 1796

Thomas Jefferson received the second largest number of votes

First time parties ran against each other Federalist president Anti-Federalist vice president

Anti-Federalists became the Democratic-Republicans!

The XYZ Affair

Britain and France still at war

French begin attacking American ships Wanted to stop U.S. from

trading with Britain

Adams send U.S. officials to negotiate with France

The XYZ Affair

French agents demand a $10 million bribe before they would discuss a treaty Called themselves XYZ U.S. refused to give a cent!

Angered the pro-French Democratic-Republicans

Increased the division between the parties

The Alien and Sedition Acts

Federalists feared that Republicans and the French would become allies

French and British refugees came to the United States to escape the war

Federalists passed several laws to silence the Democratic-Republicans Alien and Sedition Acts

The Alien and Sedition Acts

Alien Act- gave the president the power to expel foreigners used against the French

Sedition Act- made it illegal to publish criticisms about the government Sedition- any action, especially

in speech or writing, that causes rebellion

The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions,1798

Jefferson and Madison believe that the Sedition Act violated the 1st Amendment

They argue that states could nullify a federal law if the state believed it to be unconstitutional Nullify- to declare void or

useless

Based on states’ rights theory Rights not given to the federal

government belong to the states

EX. the right to judge whether the federal government is using its power properly

No other states adopted these resolutions

Issue died until 1800

The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions,1798

North Ridge Resolutions OLJust like Virginia and Kentucky, you are going to

write a set of resolutions nullifying an NRMS rule you believe to be “unconstitutional”. The requirements for your resolutions are:

1. Must identify 1 rule to nullify

2. Must show how this rule violates a right guaranteed to you in the Constitution

Can use Bill of Rights (amendments 1-10) as a guide Can also show how it violates your unalienable rights