a) French Bribery Demand

The XYZ Affair, a diplomatic incident during John Adams’ presidency, centered around a French bribery demand. In 1797, American envoys were sent to France to negotiate issues arising from the Jay Treaty with Britain. However, they were approached by French agents, known as X, Y, and Z, who demanded bribes and loans for France as preconditions for negotiations. The American refusal to comply led to a quasi-war with France. The XYZ Affair stirred public outrage in the United States, leading to a surge in patriotic fervor and a hardening of attitudes against France, impacting U.S. foreign policy and political alignments of the era.