Adams is tremendously underrated and constantly overlooked by historians. He is scorned for signing the Alien and Sedition Acts, and is commonly thought to be a mediocre to terrible President. However, an objective study of Adams' Presidency proves that he responded quite well to the challenges that he faced. He took office at a time when tensions with the French were at an all time high. The French continued to harass American ships at sea. Adams first attempted to negotiate a diplomatic solution by sending three envoys to France, who were insulted and sent back to the U.S. Anti-French sentiments began to erupt throughout the country, and Adams initiated a massive naval buildup in the event of a war. Adams supported the creation of the Navy Department and the Marine Corps, and cancelled all treaties with France. With tensions at an all time high, it seemed that the United States and France were headed down a fateful road to war. Then, Adams sent an envoy to France to talk with the new French emperor, Napoleon, and peace was achieved. The French and the United States agreed to cancel their 1778 mutual defense agreement, and war had been averted. Adams bold leadership helped achieve this. Napoleon was already entangled in a major war in Europe, and feared war with the United States. Realizing that the President was building up the navy and military and preparing for war, Napoleon backed down. Adams' must be commended for his handling of the crisis. Adams's most controversial action was signing the infamous Alien and Sedition Acts. Although Adams himself never publically advocated the laws, he did sign them. The legislation was supposedly created as a means of preventing the aiding and abetting of France within the United States, and of obstructing American foreign policy. In reality, however, the laws were designed to influence politics and ensure the Federalist control of the federal government. Three of the laws were aimed at immigrants, most of whom tended to vote against Federalist candidates. The Alien Act, the only one of the four acts to pass with bipartisan support, allowed for the detention of enemy aliens in time of war without trial or counsel. Adams himself signed the legislation in the wake of the possibility of war with France, and not because of its political effects. While the laws themselves were designed to influence politics, Adams signed them to ensure U.S. domestic security in the event of a war. Contrary to popular belief, these laws only applied to alien immigrants, not U.S. citizens. So, Adams should be commended, in fact, because he DID NOT sign the laws for political gain. He signed them because he thought that they were good for the country, and at that time, when war with France was in fact a possibility, the Alien and Sedition Acts were necessary. So, although they were designed for political gain, Adams signed the acts into law for the sake of domestic security. Like his predacessor, Adams faced domestic rebellion over taxes. Farmers in eastern Pennsylvania rioted and attacked federal tax collectors in an incident later referred to as Fries's Rebellion. Several of their leaders were arrested and sentenced to death for treason. However, on the eve of the election of 1800, Adams pardoned all of the prisoners. Adams's action with regards to this rebellion was bold and justified, as the tax that the farmers were rebelling against was necessary to ensure U.S. national security in the event of a war with France. Much like Adams's signing of the Alien and Sedition Acts, his intervention in the Tax Rebellion, although unpopular, was necessary to ensure U.S. national security. Indeed, that is Adams's legacy- making unpopular choices that in the end cost him his Presidency. In my humble opinion, Adams is a five-star President who met the challenges he faced with honor and dignity. When I think of Adams' handling of the crisis with France, I am reminded of JFK's famous line: let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate. Indeed, Adams did not negotiate out of fear, but he did not fear to negotiate, and peace was achieved. His unpopular choices cost him re-election, but those choices were necessary for the security and strength of the United States, and thus, Adams must be considered one of the greatest Presidents.