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The '''XYZ Affair''' occurred during [[John Adams]]' presidency when three [[France|French]] demanded a bribe from the United States.
==Background==
After the [[Jay Treaty]] between the United States and [[England]], tension occurred between the U.S. and France primarily due to the [[Napoleonic wars]] between England and France.<ref name="Law Library">{{cite web|url=http://law.jrank.org/pages/11426/XYZ-Affair.html|title=XYZ Affair|work=Law Library - American Law and Legal Information|accessdate=2007-01-13}}</ref> Adams appointed [[Charles Pinckney]] as minister to France,<ref name="Law Library" /> however, when Pickney attempted to negotiate a relatively minor treaty that would protect U.S. shipping from French privateers, France refused to recognize him.<ref name="HighBeam">{{cite web|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1B1-383055.html|work=High Beam Encyclopedia|title=XYZ Affair|accessdate=2007-01-13}}</ref>
==The Affiar==
Adams sent [[John Marshall]] and [[Elbridge Gerry]] to assist Pickney,<ref name="USHist">{{cite web|url=http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h465.html|work=US History.com|title=XYZ Affair|accessdate=2007-01-13}}</ref> however [[Charles Maurice de Talleyrand]] ignored the men for weeks until he sent three agents to demand a $250,000 bribe for himself and a $10 million loan for France.<ref name="Law Library" /> Outraged, the U.S. agents sent a report to Adams, who then passed it on to [[Congress]], replacing the French agents' names with "X", "Y" and "Z".<ref name="Law Library"/> Anticipating a war with France, Adams passed the [[Alien and Sedition Acts]] - which essentially made it more difficult for immigrants to gain citizenship and made it easier to expel aliens. These acts were aimed at French and [[Ireland|Irish]] immigrants thought to be supportive of France.<ref name="Law Library" />
===End===
Talleyrand, unwilling to go to war, sought to end the dispute, and the [[Treaty of Morfontaine]] restored normal relations between the two countries.<ref name="Law Library" />
==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:United States History]]
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