John Adams
(March 4, 1797 to March 3, 1801)

Born: October 30, 1735
Died: July 4, 1826

Political Party: Federalist
Previous Occupation: Lawyer

Elected From: Massachusetts
Vice President: Thomas Jefferson (1797-1801)
Cabinet Members: view list

Other Government Positions:
· Member of Continental Congress, 1774-78
· Commissioner to France, 1778
· Minister to the Netherlands, 1780
· Minister to England, 1785
· Vice President, 1789-97 (under Washington)

Inaugural Address: 1797
Biography: view

Presidential Highlights:
· Approved the Alien Act (required the deportation of immigrant who espoused radical ideas)

· Approved the Sedition Act (authorized the government to prosecute authors and publishers for publishing "false" or "malicious" political statements

· Sent federal troops to Pennsylvania to put down the Fries’ Rebellion (a revolt against a new federal property tax)

· The XYZ Affair. After Washington signed the Jay Treaty, relations with France were poor. Adams sent diplomats to France to improve relations. When the diplomats arrived in France, Talleyrand (the French Foreign Minister) demanded that they pay him a bribe. The incident became public. Congress wanted to know the name of the French officials involved. Adams refused to pay the bribe, and refused to reveal Talleyrand’s identity. Adams declared a naval war on France. Talleyrand and his allies were grateful for Adams discretion (their misdeeds were not exposed) and France signed a new agreement with the United States. Relations between France and the U.S. were once again peaceful.

· Midnight Appointments. Adams was defeated for reelection in 1800, but he kept appointing Federalists to important positions in Washington.

Presidential Election:
1796
John Adam71
Thomas Jefferson68
Thomas Pinckney59
Aaron Burr30
Samuel Adams15
Oliver Ellsworth11
George Clinton7
John Jay5
James Iredell3
George Washington2
John Henry2
S. Johnston2
Charles C. Pinckney1

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