XYZ Affair (may 1, 1797 – may 1, 1798)
Description:
Soon after Adams was elected, the tension between the United States and France over the seizing of American ships boiled over. Adams sent diplomats to France to negotiate a treaty; the French ministers—known as X, Y, and Z since their names were redacted—demanded bribes as part of the negotiations, but the Americans refused to give them. This act negatively impacted the American public’s perception of France, and they demanded to go to war. Some in the government agreed, hoping to win some of France’s territory in the North American continent if they won, but Adams did not think the country’s military was strong enough for that, so he sought an alternate diplomatic route instead.Added to timeline:
Date:
may 1, 1797
may 1, 1798
~ 12 months