Reading and Notes - John Adams Presidency

​John Adam's Presidency

By Tyler Kenealey

Directions:

1. Actually read the paragraphs!!!

2. Answer the questions (this will show me if you actually read)

3. Take the notes on your notebook paper

4. Repeat for each section

Winning the Election

In 1796, John Adams ran for president. He was the Federalist candidate. Thomas Jefferson was the Republican candidate. Adams won by a small number of votes. The final count was 71 to 68. Adams became the second president on March 4, 1797.
At that time, the Constitution had a strange rule. The person who came in second place became vice president. This meant Jefferson had to be Adams' vice president. They were from different political parties! Later, the 12th Amendment changed this rule. After that, the president and vice president would be from the same party.

Adams chose his Cabinet members carefully. He kept all of George Washington's Cabinet members. He thought this would make the change from one president to the next go smoothly.

Multiple Choice

John Adams was the ___ president.

• third
• second
• first
• fourth

Get Ready to Write Notes!!!

Winning the Election

• 1796

• Beat Thomas Jefferson

• Kept everyone in Washington's cabinet

XYZ Affair

When Adams became president, the United States was having problems with France. French ships had been attacking American trade ships since 1795. These attacks happened in the West Indies.

In 1797, Adams sent three Americans to Paris. Their job was to make peace with France. But when they arrived, three French officials had a demand. They wanted $250,000 as a bribe. The money would go to France's foreign minister, Talleyrand. The French would not talk about peace until they got the money.

Multiple Choice

Why did John Adams send representatives to France?

• To negotiate and improve relations with France.
• To establish a military alliance with Spain.
• To request financial aid for the colonies.
• To discuss trade agreements with Britain.

Multiple Choice

What did the French agents (X,Y,Z) demand from the Americans?

• A bribe

• A formal alliance

• Military support

• Immediate withdrawal of troops and trade agreements.

XYZ Affair

Adams was angry about this demand. He ordered the Americans to come home. He began getting the military ready for war. Adams called the three French officials X, Y, and Z in his letters to Congress. People started calling this the XYZ Affair.

During this time period, Great Britain and France were at war with each other. Federalists and Republicans argued about which country to support. After the XYZ Affair, the Federalist Congress wanted war with France.

However, Adams did not want to declare war. In 1799, he sent another group to France to talk about peace. Other Federalists did not like this idea. But the talks with Talleyrand worked. The United States did not have to fight a costly war.

Multiple Choice

How did Adams feel about the demand for a bribe?

• happy

• supportive

• amused

• angry

Multiple Choice

What was the result of the XYZ Affair?

• The XYZ Affair led to a peace treaty with Britain.
• The XYZ Affair caused a trade agreement with Spain since America was unable to reach an agreement with France.

• The XYZ Affair resulted in increased tensions between the U.S. and France

• The XYZ Affair resulted in the U.S. joining the Napoleonic Wars.

Get Ready to Write Notes!!!

XYZ Affair

• Adams sent three representatives to Paris, France

  • He wanted them to keep peace with France

• French agents (X,Y,Z) demanded a bribe

• Adams refused to pay the bribe

  • Got angry

  • Threatened France with war

• Eventually they made peace

Alien and Sedition Acts

In 1798, Congress passed four new laws. These were called the Alien and Sedition Acts. An alien is a person from another country who lives in the United States. Sedition means trying to fight against the government.

At this time, it looked like the United States might go to war with France. Congress passed these laws to get ready for war. The government wanted to control foreigners in the United States. They were especially worried about people from France. President Adams also wanted to stop newspapers from criticizing the government too much.

Multiple Choice

How many laws were part of the Alien and Sedition Acts?

• 3
• 6
• 4
• 5

Alien and Sedition Acts

The four laws included:

A naturalization act - Foreigners had to live in the United States for 14 years before they could become citizens. (Before this it was only 5 years)

An alien act - The president could deport any aliens who seemed "dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States."

An alien enemies act - During wartime, people from enemy countries could be deported or put in prison. This law is still used today.

A sedition act - made it a crime to "print, utter, or publish...any false, scandalous, and malicious writing" against the government

Multiple Choice

According to the Alien Acts, if the U.S. went to war with France, citizens from France could be _______.

• deported
• restricted
• executed

• suspended

Alien and Sedition Acts

Many Americans were angry about these acts. They thought the laws were unfair. By 1802, Congress had either canceled most of these acts or let them end.

Multiple Choice

How did most American feel about the Alien and Sedition Acts?

• Some Americans thought the Acts were beneficial for political discourse.
• Many Americans believed the Acts were necessary for national security.
• Most Americans felt that the Alien and Sedition Acts were unjust and an infringement on their rights.
• Most Americans supported the Alien and Sedition Acts wholeheartedly.

Get Ready to Write Notes!!!

Alien and Sedition Acts

• Worried about war with France

• Passed four laws

  • Naturalization Act - took longer to become citizen

  • Alien Act - foreigners could be deported if deemed dangerous

  • Alien Enemies Act - during war, foreigners from enemy countries could be deported or imprisoned

  • Sedition Act -  Made it a crime to speak out against the government

Washington D.C.

In November 1800, the United States capital moved. It went from Philadelphia to a new city called Washington, D.C. The new capital was on the Potomac River. Adams was the first president to live in the presidential mansion.

Multiple Choice

Where is the capitol of the United States?

• Philadelphia

• Los Angeles
• Washington, D.C.
• New York City

Multiple Choice

Who was the first president to live in the White House?

• Thomas Jefferson
• George Washington
• John Adams
• James Madison

Get Ready to Write Notes!!!

Washington D.C.

• Capitol of the U.S. moved to D.C.

  • from Philadelphia

Losing Re-election

In 1800, Adams and Jefferson ran against each other for president again. By now, they did not like each other. Jefferson won with more votes. The final count was 73 to 65. Jefferson became president on March 4, 1801.

Adams lost the election, but he wanted his party to keep control of the courts. In January 1801, his time as president was almost over. Adams quickly gave several Federalist judges, clerks, and lawyers important jobs. He also made John Marshall the chief justice of the Supreme Court.

Adams refused to go to Jefferson's inauguration. Instead, he went back home to Massachusetts.

Multiple Choice

Who did Adams lose to in the election of 1800?

• George Washington
• Frank Sinatra

• Thomas Jefferson
• James Madison

Get Ready to Write Notes!!!

Losing Re-election

• Lost to Thomas Jefferson

• Highlight the key words

• Write questions in the margins

• Visualize key concepts with sketches or diagrams

Use one of the following note strategies: