Question

Adams and Jefferson Online Research and Writing Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were great rivals and great friends. How can that be? A. Both men held strong beliefs about what the best direction was for the United States, and they both had tremendous impact on the nation’s development. B. It may not be historically significant, but it is a touching fact that both Jefferson and Adams died within two hours of each other on the Fourth of July. C. Research the lives of these two "founding fathers", their political beliefs, and the relationship between them through the letters they wrote to each other.

Answer 1

here were a number of pressing issues debated during the presidential campaign. The major foreign policy debate revolved around the appropriate American response to the French Revolution. Jefferson and the Democratic-Republicans were sympathetic to France, while the Federalists leaned more toward Britain, fearing the growing radicalism of the French Revolution and attempting to prevent the United States from being drawn into the conflict. The Federalist party’s pro-British stance led to accusations that Adams and his compatriots were seeking to undo the political effects of the American Revolution and restore the monarchy.

The Alien and Sedition Acts, which John Adams had signed into law in 1798, were another point of contention. The acts made it more difficult for immigrants to become US citizens, and included a provision criminalizing false statements critical of the federal government. This provision was squarely aimed at the Democratic-Republican opposition, which had been sharply critical of Adams and the Federalists. Critics of the Alien and Sedition Acts, many of them Democratic-Republicans, charged that they were unconstitutional and violated the First Amendment right to free speech.

While the Democratic-Republicans were well-organized and effective, the Federalist party suffered from a split between John Adams and Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton penned a 54-page letter denouncing Adams, and it hurt the Federalist cause when it was published after falling into the hands of a Democratic-Republican. The campaigns were bitter and divisive, with both sides launching heated accusations, vilifying each other, and engaging in slander and character assassination. Adams and Jefferson, former friends and compatriots, had become bitter enemies.

“The Revolution of 1800”

In 1800, each state was allowed to choose its own voting day; thus, voting in the presidential election lasted from April through October. With only one state remaining—South Carolina—Adams and Jefferson were tied, with 65 electoral votes each. When South Carolina returned its results, it awarded the election to Jefferson. However, there were a number of disputed returns, and the election was ultimately decided in the House of Representatives.