President John Adams signs the Judiciary Act of 1801 less than three weeks before the end of his term and the Federalist majority in Congress, expanding the federal judiciary by creating sixteen new circuit court judgeships and reducing the Supreme Court from six to five justices. After losing the …
President John AdamsFederalist PartyU.S. SenateWilliam Marburyjudicial-capturecourt-packinglame-duck-powerinstitutional-manipulationpolitical-corruption
The Federalist-controlled Congress passes the Alien and Sedition Acts, a set of four statutes that restrict immigration and criminalize criticism of the federal government under the guise of national security during tensions with France. The legislation increases the residency requirement for …
President John AdamsFederalist PartySecretary of State Timothy PickeringDemocratic-Republican newspaper editorsCongressman Matthew Lyondemocratic-erosionfree-speech-suppressionpolitical-persecutionauthoritarian-powerinstitutional-capture
Congress authorizes attacks on French warships and effectively declares an undeclared naval war against France, establishing the foundation for permanent American military expansion and the military-industrial complex. The Quasi-War begins after French privateers attack over 316 American merchant …
President John AdamsSecretary of the Navy Benjamin StoddertU.S. CongressGeorge WashingtonFrench privateersmilitary-expansionnaval-buildupinstitutional-capturedefense-spendingpermanent-military
American diplomatic envoys Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, John Marshall, and Elbridge Gerry arrive in Paris for peace negotiations but are approached by three French agents (later designated X, Y, and Z in diplomatic correspondence) who demand a $250,000 bribe to Foreign Minister Talleyrand and a $10 …
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-PérigordCharles Cotesworth PinckneyJohn MarshallElbridge GerryPresident John Adamsdiplomatic-corruptionforeign-influencebriberypolitical-manipulation