John Adams and the

Election of 1796

Born in Massachusetts

1st President to live in the White

House

Father of the American Navy

Wife=Abigail

Serves one term

JOHN ADAMS

By 1796, Americans were divided

Candidates sought office for the first time

as a member of a political party

Feds and Repubs held meetings

(caucuses) where they chose their leader

Feds nominated John Adams

Republicans nominated T. Jefferson

Election of 1796

1796 Election Results (16 states in the Union)

John Adams Massachusetts Federalist 71 51.4%

Thomas Jefferson Virginia Democratic-Republican

68 49.3%

Thomas Pinckney South Carolina Federalist 59 42.8%

Aaron Burr New York Democratic-Republican

30 21.7%

Samuel Adams Massachusetts Federalist 15 10.9%

Oliver Ellsworth Connecticut Federalist 11 8.0%

George Clinton New York Democratic-Republican

7 5.1%

Other - - 15 10.9%

Total Number of Electors 138

Total Electoral Votes Cast 276

Number of Votes for a Majority

70

Adams elected

President by 3

votes over

Jefferson

71 to 68

Only time

Pres/VP will be

from diff political

parties

PRESIDENCY

Cause of the Problem

French thought Jay’s Treaty was

our attempt to help Britain win the war

against France

France began seizing U.S. ships

(“Quasi-War”)

XYZ Affair

American Solution Adams wanted to avoid war—sent 3

men (Pinckney, Marshall and Gerry) to

Paris to solve the crisis

XYZ Affair

French Monkey Wrench French foreign minister, Charles de

Talleyrand, refused to meet with the

Americans

He sent 3 agents (“X-Y-Z”) who demanded

a bribe and a loan from the U.S.

XYZ Affair

American Reaction Adams was furious and Congress

prepared for war (“war fever” spreads)

Dept of Navy created and larger army

Many Republicans lost their

Congressional seats

Why is Adams looking to avoid war?

XYZ Affair

A “quasi-war” with France

Made American suspicious of foreigners

who supported the French

The Spark

Naturalization Act 14 year resident before becoming a citizen

Alien Act Allowed President to imprison aliens, or send

those he considered dangerous out of the

country

Sedition Act Made it a crime to speak, write or publish “false,

scandalous and malicious” criticisms of the govt

ALIEN + SEDITION

Idea was to protect national security

Feds were hoping they would weaken the

Republican Party

Why were they passed?

Discouraged immigration and led some

foreigners to leave the country

Convicted 10 Republican newspaper

editors who had criticized the Federalists in

government

Opposition to Federalist Party grows

ALIEN + SEDITION: Results

Opposition to Federalist Party grew

Led to a movement to allow states to

overturn federal laws

REACTION

Organized by D-R

Jefferson (KY) and Madison (VA)

Claimed that Acts were unconstitutional

KY Resolution said that states could NULLIFY

federal laws considered unconstitutional

Each state is independent and had a right to

not obey a law

Federalists criticized these Resolutions as a

step toward the breakup of the Union

VA and KY Resolutions

In the 1798 Congressional elections, Reps

were voted out of office for supporting France

By 1800, Adams sends another peace

commission to France

His cabinet disagrees

Treaty of Mortefontaine

Ends undeclared naval warfare

News does not reach U.S. until after

election

Peace with France