Chapter 9 Section 4 Smart Lecture: The Second President, John Adams
Chapter 9 Section 4: The Second President
(pages 291-295)
In this section, we
will:
• Summarize how John
Adams handled the
conflict with France.
• Explain why the
Federalist party split.
• Describe how the
Alien and Sedition acts
raised the issue of the
rights of states.
• Identify the role
Congress played in the
election of 1800.
John Adams- our second president
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Chapter 9 Section 4 Smart Lecture: The Second President, John Adams
Key vocabulary terms this section
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XYZ Affair
frigate
Alien and Sedition acts
sedition
nullify
Kentucky & Virginia resolutions
states' rights
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Chapter 9 Section 4 Smart Lecture: The Second President, John Adams
Conflict With France
• In 1797, French ships began to
seize American ships in the
West Indies as the British had
done.
• Americans now called for war
against France.
• President Adams sends
diplomats to Paris to discuss the
rights of neutral nations.
Remember...the U.S. was trying
to remain neutral.
• What happened at the
meeting was the infamous "XYZ
Affair."
• Let's read about it on page
291.
XYZ Affair, Alien & Sedition Act
• The XYZ Affair ignited "war fever" in the
United States.
• President Adams wanted to keep the
country out of European affairs like
Washington had done before him.
• But he could not ignore French attacks on
American vessels.
• He strengthened the navy by building
frigates- fast sailing ships with many guns.
• This action helped convince France to
leave American ships alone at sea.
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Chapter 9 Section 4 Smart Lecture: The Second President, John Adams
U.S frigate in 1798
U.S. frigate in 2011
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Chapter 9 Section 4 Smart Lecture: The Second President, John Adams
The Federalist Party Splits
• many Federalists criticized
President Adams, who supported
war against France.
• a war would have also forced the
nation to build a stronger military
force, which the Federalists wanted.
• Alexander Hamilton pressured
President Adams (also a Federalist)
into going to war with France.
• President Adams resisted this and
a split was created in the Federalist
party.
• Adams again sent diplomats to
France; at this point in France, a
young army officer named Napoleon
Bonaparte was in charge.
• Napoleon was consumed in planning
wars against European powers and
did not want war with America.
• He signs an agreement to have
France stop seizing American ships.
• Adams kept the
nation out of war
using diplomacy.
• He would lose the
support of many
Federalists, however.
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Chapter 9 Section 4 Smart Lecture: The Second President, John Adams
Alien & Sedition Acts
• during the crisis with France, Federalists passed several
important laws. Today we will discuss two such laws.
Alien act (1798) Sedition Act (1798) • president could expel any alien, or foreigner, who was thought to be dangerous. • white immigrants now had to wait 14 years to become citizens instead of 5. • many recent immigrants had supported Jefferson & the republicans. • this law would keep them from being able to vote for years. • sedition is the stirring up of a rebellion against a government. • under the sedition act, citizens could be fined or jailed if they criticized the government or its officials.
• this law made republicans very upset.
• several newspaper editors and even members of congress were fined and jailed for expressing their opinions. • republicans claimed the act violated the constitution. 6
Chapter 9 Section 4 Smart Lecture: The Second President, John Adams
The Rights of States
• Vice President Jefferson strongly opposed the Alien & Sedition Acts.
• He urged states to take strong action against the acts, suggesting that states nullify, or cancel a law passed by the federal government. • This way, states could resist the power of the federal government. • Kentucky and Virginia passed resolutions in 1798 and 1799.
• The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions claimed that each state had an equal right to judge for itself whether a law was constitutional.
• If a state declared a law unconstitutional, said the resolutions, it has the power to nullify that law within its borders. Far
stu ley m
fed per: W
e
are ral la hat sta many w t
to n es try
tod ullify ing arg ay, by cas uing th
fed e to th eir cou eral e rts
???
This controversy raised the issue of states' rights. • Did the federal government have only those powers that were listed in the Constitution??
• If so, the states possessed all other powers, including the power to declare a federal law unconsitutional. 7
Chapter 9 Section 4 Smart Lecture: The Second President, John Adams
Election of 1800
Republicans focused on two issues in the 1800 election campaign: 1) they criticized the Federalist for raising taxes to prepare for war.
2) they opposed both the Alien Act & the Sedition Act. • Republican ticket in the election of 1800 was Thomas Jefferson for president & Aaron Burr for Vice President.
• John Adams is the candidate for the Federalist party in his attempt to win reelection. 8
Chapter 9 Section 4 Smart Lecture: The Second President, John Adams
• Let's read about the deadlocked election of 1800 on page 294. How the Electoral College Elects the President
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Chapter 9 Section 4 Smart Lecture: The Second President, John Adams
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