John Adam’s Presidency
Directions: Use 3-5 minutes to double check this subject’s Power School for your class grade and work listings verifying that all work is caught up. Read and heed embedded messages. Next, research your part of the following topics and figure out answers to the questions. Write your questions and detailed answers on lined paper or your notebook paper. These questions and related answers are required to be handed in, once the class discussion is completed. You are expected to use the time completely, be through and become knowledgeable. Write down any puzzles you have related to the material on your paper and bring them up during the class discussion. Warning: If you are found to be using your research time for other things, it will hurt your learning and grade. If you think or claim to be done, you are not! Once your assigned part is ready, then help others on your team or study the test resources from Mr. Spitzer’s web page for the upcoming test. No games, non-topic talk or other activities allowed during research time. The class will research as much as time allows before team sharing and whole class discussion. Since there is always more to learn, Mr. Spitzer encourages you to look into this topic more on your own time. Your class work grade includes: 1. Entire use of time while researching. 2. Answer questions & pay attention during team sharing. 3. Paying attention & participate during class discussion. 4. Turning in your readable questions & notes. Team members who do not do their share, provide hasty sloppy answers, disrupt others and use time ineffectively in the four grade aspects will be removed from the team and required to write out and turn in all answers on their own for the grade.
Topics to Research
Beginning of Political Parties /Hamilton v. Jefferson
Federalist Party
Democratic Republican Party
Election of 1796
XYZ Affair
Undeclared War with France
Alien and Sedition Acts
Naturalization Act
Virginia Resolutions of 1798 and Kentucky Resolutions of 1798-99
Peace with France
Questions to be able to discuss
1. How did political parties begin during George Washington’s presidency? What were the different views of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson related to the issues of The Bank of the United States, implied powers in the Constitution, and strength of the central government?
2. What were the aims of the Federalist Party under Hamilton and Adams?
3. What were the aims of the Democratic Republican Party under Thomas Jefferson?
4. Describe the sides and candidates in the election of 1796. (President and Vice-President candidates) What were the election results? Who became Vice-President? Why was this a problem?
5. What was the XYZ Affair? Why did the United States get into an undeclared war (Quasi War)? What were the war events?
6. Why did the Federalists pass the Alien and Sedition Acts? What did these laws do? Were these laws in violation of the Bill of Rights? Explain.
7. What was the Naturalization Act? What was its real purpose?
8. What was the purpose of the Virginia Resolutions of 1798 and Kentucky Resolutions of 1798-99. What did they imply to the future because of these claims of states rights and nullification?
9. How was peace with France achieved in 1799? How did this peace avoid a war with France and divide the Federalists and help the Democratic-Republicans?
Critical Thinking Questions for Discussion or Writing
10. Why did the Federalist Party and Democratic-Republican Party’s form? What purpose did the political parties serve in the 1790s? Compare this purpose to those of political parties today.
11. Reference the Bill of Rights. How did the Alien and Sedition Acts violate the Bill of Rights? Support citing specific rights. Do we have any similar laws and/or attitudes today? Explain.
12. Show how the “Union” in Washington’s Farewell Address would be threatened by the States’ rights or nullification theory of government.