3/19/14

Lesson#60

AIM: What problems did John Adams face when he became president in 1797?

DO NOW: what problems do you think John Adams might have faced when he became President?

I)                   John Adams becomes president

a)      In the election of 1796 John Adams became president of the United States; he was a member of the Federalist Party.

b)      Under the constitution, at that time, the person who received the 2^nd highest vote total would become the Vice President. Thomas Jefferson, the leader of the Democratic-Republican Party became Vice President. The two men disliked each other.

c)      Adams also had the problem that he was constantly compared to Washington.

II)                 Problems with France

a)      Almost as soon as Adams took power the U.S was faced with a problem. France began attacking American Ships. Many people in The U.S demanded war.

b)      Adams sent diplomats to France to try to avoid war but the French government insisted that the U.S pay a bribe to France. This became known as the XYZ affair.

III)              Problems in the U.S

a)      Adams also had many problems at home. Congress began to pass laws that severely limited people’s freedoms.

b)      The Alien Act, allowed the president to expel any person who he thought was dangerous to the country.

c)      The Sedition Act said that people could be fined if they spoke out against the government in any way. This law was in direct violation of the 1^st Amendment.

d)      These laws made Adams extremely unpopular in the U.S.

Home Work:  Read pages 250-253 , describe the key terms on page 250 and answer questions 1-3 on page 253.