John Adams' Presidency and Political Challenges
John Adams became America's second president as a member of the Federalist party. Though he had worked with Thomas Jefferson during the Revolution, they became political enemies during this era.
The XYZ Affair created a diplomatic crisis with France. When Adams sent envoys to make peace after France seized American ships, the French Foreign Minister refused to meet them. Instead, three secret agents (called X, Y, and Z) demanded a tribute payment before peace talks could begin. Outraged, Adams prepared the country for potential war.
To control political opposition, Adams and the Federalists passed the controversial Alien and Sedition Acts. These laws made it harder for immigrants to become citizens and allowed the president to jail or deport any foreigners suspected of causing trouble. The Sedition Act specifically punished anyone who criticized the president or government.
💡 Political cartoons of the time depicted the Sedition Act as a snake attacking children who represented liberty, free speech, and free press - showing how many Americans viewed these laws as attacks on fundamental freedoms.
Republicans, led by Jefferson, saw these acts as violations of constitutional rights. They drafted the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, arguing states could nullify federal laws they deemed unconstitutional. Though only those two states passed resolutions, this established an important debate about states' rights versus federal power.