The Adams Administration

1797-1801

The Constitution in Crisis

USHC 1.5Explain how the fundamental principle of limited government is protected by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, including democracy, republicanism, federalism, the separation of powers, the system of checks and balances, and individual rights.

USHC 1.6Analyze the development of the two-party system during the presidency of George Washington, including controversies over domestic and foreign policies and the regional interests of the [Jeffersonian] Republicans and the Federalists.

Washington’s Farewell Address

WARNINGS:

Political Partisanship

Sectionalism

Foreign Entanglements

Respect the Constitution

The Adams Administration

ACTIONS:

Political Partisanship

Sectionalism

Foreign Entanglements

Respect the Constitution

REPUBLICAN

The Election of 1796

John AdamsThomas Jefferson

FEDERALIST

VS.

SECTIONALISM

18001796

The Endurance of Sectionalism

The Constitution, as originally written, made no provisions for political parties. The original formula for the selection of the President and Vice President reflected this.

The Results:John

Adams, President

Thomas Jefferson,

Vice President

FEDERALIST REPUBLICAN

Partisan Newspapers

National Gazette(Republican)

Gazette of the United States(Federalist)

old

QuerulousBald

BLIND

crippled

tOOTHLESS

Adams

The Griswold-Lyon Fight1798

I’ve got 99 problems… Partisanship’s only one.

FEDERALISTS The First Party System REPUBLICANSHAMILTONJohn Adams

Leaders JEFFERSON James Madison

Strong CENTRAL Gov. Federalism States’ Rights

Anarchy / Mob Rule Fears Tyranny

LOOSE Construction Constitution STRICT Construction

YES Gov. Involvement in Economy NO

VERY YES National Bank NO

YES Protective Tariff

NO

YES Federal Assumption of State War Debts NO

Urban (Commerce) Support Base Rural (Agrarian)

Anglophiles Foreign Policy Francophiles

THE “QUASI-WAR”

http://www.orangesmile.com/ru/foto/ocean-maps-eng.htm

Undeclared naval conflict between the US and France (1798-1800).

The XYZ Affair

To the wicked, everything serves as a pretext.

Voltaire

The Alien and Sedition Acts

Naturalization ActAlien Friends ActAlien Enemies Act

1798

Constitutional?

• Allowed the President to deport undesirable aliens

• Extended the residency requirement for citizenship from 5 to 14 years

Were the Alien Acts

constitutional?

To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization…

From Article I, Section 8:

DELEGATED

The Alien and Sedition Acts1798

Sedition ActConstitution

al?

Outlawed the publication of "false, scandalous, and malicious writing" against the government

EXPIRATION DATE:

3/4/1801

Was the Sedition Act

constitutional?

From Amendment I:

RESERVED

Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press…

The Sedition Act violated the Constitution on two counts:

• Free Speech & Press (1st) • States’ Rights (10th)

EPIC FAIL

Clip from HBO’s John Adams (2:46)

What

Now?

Virginia and

Kentucky

Resolutions

Federalist No. 10

AMONG the numerous

advantages promised by a well constructed Union, none deserves to be more accurately developed than its tendency to break and control the violence of faction…

Virginia & Kentucky Resolutions

Madison

1798

COMPACT THEORY

Protest Resolutions

Passed by state legislatures

The Constitution is a compact (agreement) between the states, and they have the authority to interpret it.

Jefferson

NULLIFICATION

INTERPOSITION

How far can states go in resisting unconstitutional laws passed by the federal government? Madison

1798

Jefferson

Virginia & Kentucky Resolutions

Kentucky ResolutionsIn questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down…by the chains of the Constitution.

Jeffersonto John Taylor of Caroline

“A little patience, and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their spells dissolve, and the people, recovering their true sight, restore their government to its true principles.”

18001796

REVOLUTION?

…and Congress, too!

1798 18000

5

10

15

20

25

Parties in the U.S. Senate

Sixth and Seventh Congresses

Federal-ists

Repub-licans

1798 18000

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Parties in the U.S. House

Sixth and Seventh Congresses

Federal-ists

Repub-licans