1797-1801 John Adams served as the 2nd US president. In his re-election campaign of 1800, Adams lost to Thomas Jefferson, becoming the nation’s first one-term president.
Adams signed the unpopular Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 which restricted the activities of foreign residents in the United States and limited free speech. Today, their passage is widely recognized as one of the biggest mistakes of Adams’ presidency.
At least 26 individuals were arrested and tried under the Sedition Act. The primary targets were Republican newspaper editors opposed to Adams and the Federalist party ideals. The meaning of a free press and the right of opposition parties to speak were widely debated.
Trivia: Adams was the first president to live in the White House.
Read more about the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798. Two dueling parties fighting against each other amid challenges of the new county and impending war with France is a deja vu moment in history. ~Julie
