Chapter 10 Section 5 Notes

John Adam’s Presidency

Chapter 10 Section 5 Terms

Political PartiesFederalist PartyDemocratic-Republican PartyXYZ AffairAlien and Sedition ActsVirginia and Kentucky ResolutionsTwelfth Amendment

The Election of 1796

The first election that involved Political Parties, or groups that help elect people and influence governmental policies

The Federalist Party was popular in New England and wanted to strengthen the federal government, encourage manufacturing and trade and was led by Hamilton and Adams. Adams was the Federalist Party’s candidate for president in 1796

The Election of 1796 Continued

The Democratic-Republican Party was popular in the South and West and wanted to limit the power of the federal government and promote agriculture.

Thomas Jefferson was the leader of the Party

Adams won the election and Jefferson, the 2nd place winner, became the VP

President Adams

Adams’ personality was not very good for being president

He was uncomfortable around strangers and seemed cold and distant to people

He was very smart but also sort of aristocratic, meaning he was rich and thought he was better because of it

The XYZ Affair

Adams sent over 3 reps to France to repair relations but the French diplomat wouldn’t see them and said that he would only agree to a treaty for a bribe and a loan.

Adams didn’t fully say the details of the meeting and when the press got a hold of it they called it the XYZ Affair- for the 3 French agents who proposed the bribe

Federalists wanted war with France but Adams restored peace

The Alien and Sedition Acts

Adams was under constant attack by the opposing Republicans.

Congress passed the Alien and Sedition Acts in 1798

The Alien Act made it so the president could throw out foreign citizens if they seemed to pose a “threat” to security

The Sedition Act made it illegal for people to write or speak anything against the government

The Alien and Sedition Acts ContinuedJefferson and Madison wanted to get back at the

Federalists for the A+S ActsKentucky and Virginia passed the Virginia and

Kentucky Resolutions, which said that the A+S Acts were unconstitutional and that the federal government was interfering with state governments

These resolutions said that state governments could ignore any federal law they deemed “unconstitutional”

The Election of 1800

The Republicans, with Jefferson as their presidential candidate, won the election of 1800

Congress passed the Twelfth Amendment in time for the next election, which had people vote for the president and vice president on separate ballots.

The transfer of power was peaceful, and showed that the new system was strong

Jefferson thought that the “Revolution of 1800” was a triumph of the common man