This document summarizes key events during John Adams' presidency from 1796-1800, including his election over Alexander Hamilton, the XYZ Affair which damaged US-French relations, the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts to suppress Republicans, and the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions opposing the Sedition Act as unconstitutional. Tensions increased between the Federalist and Republican parties during Adams' single term as he struggled to unite the Federalists while facing foreign policy challenges.

1. A Time for Dilemma: John Adams
and the French Problem
President John Adams
The XYZ Affair
The Alien and Sedition Acts

2. The Election of 1796
 Hamilton was the first
Federalists choice for
president but he was
considered too
controversial to run
 Adams (Federalist) is
chosen and is elected
president in ________(1)

3. The XYZ Affair
 The French and the US
had a broken
relationship after the
US did not support
France against Britain
 Adams sent agents to
try and mend the
alliance between the
US and France

4. The XYZ Affair
 French agents demanded a
(2)_________ of $250,000
and a $12M loan before
they would talk to the
American agents about a
treaty
 Adams embarrasses the
Republicans by
announcing to the nation
how the French behaved
 The nation prepares for a
possible war

5. His Presidency
 Adams was strong willed
and disliked the opposite
party, the
(3)______________ -
_______________
 Adams’ personality makes it
hard for him to unify his
own party, the
(4)____________
 He’s perceived as weak
when threatened by France
with war and does not act on
their threat

6. The Alien and Sedition Acts
 Federalists feared that
Republicans and the French
will become (5)__________
 French and British refugees
are coming to the United
States to escape the war
 The Federalists will pass
several laws to keep the
Republicans for complaining
against how the Federalists
are running things

7. The Alien and Sedition Acts
 June 18, 1798 The Naturalization Act
requires a longer amount of residence in the
US to become a citizen
 June 25, 1798 Alien Act gave the president
the power to expel foreigners (used against
the French)
 July 14, 1798 Sedition Act made it a crime to
publish criticisms of the
(6)_______________

8. Politicians can be vindictive
 The Federalists (Adams’
party) attempted to
silence criticism from
the Republican party by
enforcing the Sedition
Act
 Ben Franklin’s son is
actually
(7)_____________ for
violating the Act

9. The Kentucky and Virginia
Resolutions,1798
 Jefferson and Madison believe that the
Sedition Act violates the (8)____
Amendment
 They argue that states can nullify a federal
law if the state believes it to be
(9)________________
 The Resolves were a ploy to jumpstart
Jefferson’s bid for (10)________________
in the next election

10. The Kentucky and Virginia
Resolutions,1798
 Jefferson and Madison believe that the
Sedition Act violates the (8)____
Amendment
 They argue that states can nullify a federal
law if the state believes it to be
(9)________________
 The Resolves were a ploy to jumpstart
Jefferson’s bid for (10)________________
in the next election