The New Nation-The Adams Presidency

The Election of 1796

• The Federalists turned to Washington’s Vice President, John Adams.

• Democratic- Republicans chose Thomas Jefferson

• The campaign focused heavily on personalities• Adams won 71-68. Jefferson became Vice

President

Problems with France

• French warships seized American merchant ships

• France refused to receive America’s envoy• Adams appointed a diplomatic

commission(including John Marshall) to attempt to reach an agreement

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XYZ Affair

• Three French middlemen demanded a loan and a $250,000 bribe in order for the U.S. envoys to even meet with Foreign Minister Talleyrand

• The American envoys returned to America

• U.S. created the Navy Department and reestablished the Marine Corps

• 1798-1800- undeclared hostilities between U.S. and France

• The British lent Americans cannon and other war supplies

• 1799 Adams sent three envoys to France• Convention of 1800- France agreed to annul the

alliance between the U.S. and France and the U.S. agreed to pay the damage claims of American shippers

Alien and Sedition Acts

• 1798• Alien Acts- Federalist Congress hope to

discourage new immigrants from Europe– Requirement to become a citizen was raised from

five to fourteen years– “dangerous” foreigners could be deported by the

President in time of peace and deported or jailed in time of war (never enforced)

• Sedition Act– Anyone who impeded the policies of the

government or falsely defamed its officials would be liable to a heavy fine and imprisonment

– Infringed on Freedoms of Speech and Press– Attempt by Federalists to silence opposition– Set to expire in 1801

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

• 1798 and 1799• Drafted by Thomas Jefferson and James

Madison• “Compact” theory– The 13 states had entered into a compact

(contract) when they created the federal government. Therefore, they were the final judges as to whether or not the gov’t had broken the compact by exceeding its authority

Nullification

• The Kentucky Resolution- federal government had exceeded its constitutional authority with the Alien and Sedition Acts and the solution was nullification- a refusal to accept them

• Federalists argued that the people, not the states, had created the Constitution and that only the Supreme Court could nullify unconstitutional legislation

• Idea later used by southerners (ultimately leading to secession)