Federalist In Charge CHAPTER 9 p. 298-301. John Adams became President / Thomas Jefferson became...
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Transcript of Federalist In Charge CHAPTER 9 p. 298-301. John Adams became President / Thomas Jefferson became...
Federalist In Charge
CHAPTER 9 p. 298-301
John Adams became President / Thomas Jefferson became Vice President
Because they were from different parties tension stayed high
Alien and Sedition Acts
Laws passed 1798
Passed by High Federalists
Grew from crisis with France
Alien and Sedition Acts
Alien Act -Pres. could expel any alien (foreigner) thought to be dangerous to the country
Another law made it harder to become a citizen
Change law from 5 years to 14 years living in U.S. meant to keep new arrivals from
voting for Republicans
Sedition- stirring up rebellion against the government
Sedition Act – citizens could be fined or jailed if they criticized the govn. or government officials
under law several Congressmen & Republican newspapermen were fined and jailed their opinions
The Rights of States
Republicans believed new laws were unconstitutional
Did not go to Supreme Court most judges were Federalists
The Rights of States
Jefferson urged states to act
He said states had the right to nullify (cancel) a law passed by Federal government
Kentucky and Virginia Resolution
Kentucky and Virginia Resolution – 1798 & 1799
Said state “has an equal right to judge for itself “
whether a law was constitutional. If unconstitutional it could nullify it with in its borders
Kentucky and Virginia Resolution
Question -did a state have the right on its own to decide If a law was Constitutional
Not answered in Jefferson’s lifetime
Alien & Sedition Acts were changed or dropped
Peace with France
Adams’ actions made him many enemies among the Federalist
This cost Adams the election of 1800
The XYZ Affair
John Adams is elected President
Difficulty between U.S. and France
France angry because of Jay’s Treaty believed U.S. was siding with BritainFrance began to attack U.S. merchant ships
The XYZ Affair J. Adams send a three member committee to FranceFrench demand U.S. pay France a bribe of $250,000
French demand U.S. loan them several million dollars
The XYZ Affair Americans heard of the demands of France Anger was their response said, “Millions for defense, but not one sixpence for tribute.” The three men Adams sent to France were
called X Y & Z their names were not made public
The XYZ Affair XYZ Affair caused an out break of Americans
wanting a war with France
Later Napoleon Bonaparte agreed to stop seizing U.S. ships
War was avoided
Federalist fear spread of French revolution in to the U.S.
Federalist want to destroy Republican rivals
1798 Law was passed to limit immigration called The Alien ActIncreased time immigrants had to live in the
state before becoming a citizen went from 5 to 14 years
President now could deport or jail any alien he considered dangerous
Sedition: activities designed to overthrow a government
It became a CRIME to write or say anythingBad about the Pres. or government
Ten people were convicted & jailed for this crime. Most were Republicans
The harshest law ever passed restricting freedom of speech
STATES’ RIGHTS Republicans said the Sedition Act violated
the Constitution
U.S. Supreme Court did not have the power to declare a law unconstitutional
STATES’ RIGHTS The opposition had to come from the state
legislators
Madison wrote a resolution attacking the Alien Act
Virginia’s legislature approved the resolution
STATES’ RIGHTS Jefferson wrote a resolution opposing the
Sedition Act
The Resolution was passed by the Kentucky legislature
Virginia Kentucky Resolution
Stated that the Alien & Sedition Acts were unconstitutional
Believed states had the right to declare laws passed by Congress unconstitutional
Virginia Kentucky Resolution
The resolution said a state could declare a law by Congress unconstitutional (nullify it) and not enforce the law within the state borders
No other states supported the resolution
The Alien Act expired two years later
The Sedition Act expired 1801
STATES’ RIGHTS
Nullify – deprive of legal force (neutralize)
Virginia Kentucky Resolution also boosted the idea of “states rights,”
STATES’ RIGHTS
This is the idea that Union binding ”these United States” is an agreement between the states and that they therefore could over rule Federal Law
This theory of “States Rights” waited for a later date to be tested