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October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826 in Quincy, Massachusetts Political Party: Federalist Term of Office: March 4, 1797 – March 4, 1801 Vice President: Thomas Jefferson from 1797-1801 Theme: American Identity The theme of American Identity would best describe John Adams’ term of office. John Adams’ term set important precedents that influenced future presidents to come. When Adams took office, relations with France was poor and he knew that he needed to improve relations to a point of stability. France had asked the United States to help them in the war against Britain. Adams said no because the United States had just come out of a war and really couldn’t afford to fund another one. Adams then sent three diplomats to France to negotiate with the Prime Minister, Talleyrand. Talleyrand refused to negotiate unless his bribe before negotiation was met. The three Frenchmen that delivered this news to the diplomats were later known as XYZ, hence the term, the XYZ Affair (John Adams 1). The French started to attack American ships which made John Adams livid and became known as the Quasi War. The development of foreign policy pressured Adams. Foreign policy was the highlight to Adams' presidency. John Adams being a Federalist was receiving pressures from his companion members to go to war against France. John Adams chose diplomacy instead of violence, defying his own political party, which was the turning point of his presidency. By choosing diplomacy over war, he eventually improved relations with France to a tolerable point. However, this decision loosened his ties with his fellow Federalists, causing him to lose the 1800 election. Adams made it clear that United States was serious. If the United States had to go to war, it would. It is clear that the development of foreign policy contributed toward the American Identity.
 * John Adams **

Another development that pressured Adams was the threat of French agents in the United States. John Adams, worried about inside agents receiving intelligence, told Federalists to draft the Alien and Sedition Acts that were four laws that made naturalization harder, gave the president the right to deport suspicious aliens, to rid the country pro-republican aliens, and to stop the press from writing “scandalous” articles about the XYZ Affair (DeGregorio 30). Although Adams disrupted the purpose of the first amendment to the Constitution, he had good intentions in mind. He was trying to make the U.S. a safer place. He did violate the Bill of Rights and deprived the “American Way” of immigration, but at the crisis of potential war, he was trying to protect he United States to the best of his ability, which correlates to him promoting the American Identity of protecting his country by any means.

With only one president under the United States’ belt, little precedent was set for President John Adams to go off of besides serving under George Washington as Vice President for both of George Washington’s terms. John Adams deserves a rating of a C because he violated the Bill of Rights during the Alien and Sedition Acts, promoted the deportation and slowed the naturalization process of immigrants, and handled foreign affairs effectively with France through diplomacy.

John Adams wanted to glorify the United States even more than before. He wanted to make the United States an example for other countries. One goal he wanted to achieve was manage the, “friendship,” between the U.S. and France. Previously in the Revolutionary War, the French was an ally for the United States. John Adams barely succeeded in obtaining this goal. John Adams chose diplomacy over violence which defined foreign policy. He knew that the United States could not afford to fund another war and certainly didn’t have the strength to do it either. Moving forward, he did achieve this goal. It took some time, effort, and patience, but Adams succeeded. Another goal Adams wanted to accomplish was “…to improve agriculture, commerce, and manufacturers for necessity, convenience, and defense; …” as stated from John Adams’ Inauguration Address (Woolley 1). During his presidency, a Navy department was created. It is quite evident that he did improve defense to some degree.

John Adams’ relationship with Congress was impressive yet bias. The Federalists controlled Congress (Whitney 24). During John Adams’ presidency, the Alien and Sedition Acts were passed. The Alien and Sedition Acts gave the president the power to deport suspicious aliens. Adams wanted to ensure that the United States was not being spied on by inside agents. In this quest to ensure that the United States was protected, John Adams wanted to achieve a more Federalist nation.With a strong Federalist nation, the United States would have a centralized government. A lot of immigrants became Democratic-Republican, John Adams wanted to limit the members as much as possible so he passed the Alien and Sedition Acts. John Adams could deport any alien he considered, “dangerous” (DeGregorio 30). The Alien and Sedition acts were “expired,” or was repealed by 1802. Another act that was passed during Adams’ presidency was the Logan Act in 1799. Dr. Logan was trading privately with foreign countries, and this act, “outlawed such private diplomacy” (DeGregorio 30). This law still remains in present day due to Adams. Adams did not veto any of these acts since these acts were Federalist controlled and promoted.

John Adams was a man of political pleasure and promotion. He wanted what was best for his country and really wanted to make the United States the absolute best that it could be. Adams’ promotion of diplomacy in terms of the XYZ Affair was extremely credible and was the action that had the most positive outcome. If Adams did choose to turn to war, the America as we know it, probably wouldn’t be the way it is today. If one looks ahead in history, they would notice that the Louisiana Purchase was made around 1803. If the United States went to war with France, the Louisiana Purchase would probably never have happened. What country would allow one to purchase land if they would be in a war? The Louisiana Purchase nearly doubled the size of the United States, which was huge to the expansion and development of the U.S. through the years. Adams’ choice to promote the Alien and Sedition Acts was accepted by Federalists, but did indeed violate the First Amendment to the Constitution (Whitney 24). As a president, he should have never passed that law no matter what political party he was. Continuing, he did not promote immigration (limiting naturalization), which was abysmal. America is the land of immigrants, and he was going to shut them out or at least make their naturalization process more difficult. If Congress was not held in control of the Federalists, he probably would have been impeached. The republicans took him as a joke. John Adams also had Midnight Appointments, in which he appointed Federalists to various judgeship positions. In doing so, he was hoping to have Federalists keep the newly elected Thomas Jefferson in shape, but evening the playing field; Federalists vs. Democratic Republicans. He did this out of pure spite, and for all the wrong reasons. This is a prime example of why John Adams got a C (DeGregorio 30).

John Adams’ decision to diplomacy left a small precedence for future presidents to come. If he did turn to war, he probably would have been better received by his fellow Federalists, including Alexander Hamilton, which would have landed him a second term of office, and the Louisiana Purchase may never have happened, or would have happened later on in history. By passing the torch of presidency to Jefferson, Adams set the stage for Jefferson to do great things (like making the Louisiana Purchase). It would only make sense that generations to come would recognize the man who made the United States diplomatic.

In conclusion, the United States was better off in the end of his term than at the beginning. When he first took office, relations with France was terrible and by the end of his term, he improved the relationship and manage to become shipping partners. By improving said relationship, he promoted the American Identity and indirectly increased the size of the United States from the Louisiana Purchase. Even though he managed to improve relations with France, he was an average president, which is why he earned a C. By promoting the deportation and slowing down the naturalization of immigrants/aliens, he really knocked himself from an A to a B. But what sent him to a C was the fact that he passed the Alien of Sedition acts, which clearly violated the Bill of Rights. John Adams did the best he could with what he had to work with, but could have done better.

Works Cited DeGregorio, William A. "John Adams 2D President." //The Complete Book of U.S.// // Presidents //. 6th ed. Fort Lee, NJ: Barricade, 2005. 19-34. Print.

"John Adams: Biography, Facts, Quotes, Speeches." //American Presidents —// // Biographies, Quotes, Timelines, Speeches //. 2011. Web. 04 Sept. 2011. .

"John Adams." //The White House//. Web. 04 Sept. 2011. .

"John Adams." //Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia//. Wikipedia, 3 Sept. 2011. Web. 04 Sept. 2011. .

Whitney, David C. "John Adams." //The American Presidents//. 9th ed. Pleasantville: Readers Digest, 2001. 17-25. Print.

Woolley, John T., and Gerhard Peters. "John Adams: Inaugural Address." //The American// // Presidency Project //. The American Presidency Project, 2011. Web. 04 Sept. 2011..