ADAMS 



32 



ADAMS 



OUTLINE ON LIFE OF JOHN ADAMS 



Outline 



I. Preparatory Year* 



Birth and family 



(1) 



( 2 ) Education 



(3) Marriage 



II. Early Public Life 



( 1 ) In fight against Stamp Act 



(2) Defends British soldiers 



(3) Delegate to First Continental Con- 



gress. 



(a) Suggests choice of Washington as 



commander-in-chief 



(b) Seconds resolutions declaring col- 



onies free and independent 



(4) As diplomat 



(a) In France 



(b) In Holland 



(c) In Great Britain 



(5) As Vice-President 



(a) Frequently saved Washington's 

 plans by casting vote 



III. His Administration 



(1) Troubled conditions 



(a) Split in Federalist party 



(b) Opposition of Republicans 



(2) Difficulties with France 



(a) X. Y. Z. Correspondence 



(b) State of war 



(c) Second mission 



(d) Peace 



(3) Alien and Sedition Laws 



(a) Naturalization 



(b) Allen acts 



(c) Sedition act 



(4) Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions 



(a) Alien and Sedition acts violate 



Constitution 



(b) Constitution merely an agreement 



between states as partners 



(c) Decision as to whether a law is 



in accord with Constitution 

 rests with each state 



(5) Midnight Judiciary 



(6) Election of 1800 



(a) Formation of parties 



(b) Candidates 



(c) Election by House of Representa- 



tives 



(d) Downfall of Federalists 



(7) Other events 



(a) Eleventh amendment to the Con- 



stitution 



(b) Death of Washington 



(c) John Marshall appointed Chief 



Justice 



(d) Capital removed to Washington 



(e) Department of the Navy created 



(f) Hail Columbia written 



IV. Character 



( 1 ) As a man 



(2) As political leader 



Questions 



What epitaph did Adams say would please him? 



What was the X. Y. Z. Correspondence? 



What was the cause of the "Quasi- War" with France? 



Did any actual hostilities occur as a result of this tension? 



Why were the Alien and Sedition Laws passed? 



What was their most conspicuous effect? 



What great jurist was appointed to the Supreme Court by Adams? 



Why did Adams fail of reelection? 



How did he show his sense of shame at this failure? 



What patriotic song was published in the time of the difficulties with France? 



What was Adams' opinion of his own services to the country as compared with those 

 of Washington? 



How do critics regard the work which Adams did in securing the treaty with Eng- 

 land in 1783? 



How did Adams prove during his term as Vice-President that he was superior to 

 petty jealousies? 



