His Vice President: Thomas Jefferson .
            
            
            
Vice President For: George Washington (1789-1797) .
            
 Legislature (1768-1774), Continental Congress (1774-1777) .
            
Other Offices: Diplomat to France; Diplomat to the Netherlands; Diplomat to Great Britain .
            
Public Opinion:.
            
1796 Presidential Election Results.
            
Candidate 	Party 	Electoral Votes .
            
John Adams 	Federalist 	71 .
            
Thomas Jefferson	Democratic-Republican	68.
            
Thomas Pinckney	Federalist	59.
            
Aaron Burr	Democratic-Republican	30.
            
Minor Candidates	N/A	48.
            
		.
            
1800 Presidential Election Results*.
            
Candidate 	Party 	Electoral Votes .
            
Thomas Jefferson 	Democratic-Republican 	73 .
            
Aaron Burr	Democratic-Republican	73.
            
John Adams	Federalist	65.
            
Charles Pinckney	Federalist	64.
            
John Jay	Federalist	1.
            
Led by Alexander Hamilton, The Federalists believed in a strong central government which favored industry, landowners, banking interests, merchants, and a close relationship with England. In strong opposition to them to them were the Democratic-Republicans, led by Thomas Jefferson, who advocated a limit of power to the federal government. It was Adams Federalist leanings and popularity as vice president under George Washington that positioned him as a leading presidential candidate with Federalist but made him an enemy to the Democratic-Republicans. .
            
The electoral process, different than today, functioned by placing the candidate with the second largest number of votes in the position of vice president. This is how Thomas Jefferson, who opposed Adams in the election, came to serve as Adams's vice president in 1797. Some argue Adams won the election mainly because he identified himself with Washington's administration and because he was able to win two electoral ballots from normally secure Jeffersonian states. .
            
The Adams presidential term was characterized by continuing crises in foreign policy, all which dramatically affected affairs at home. Concerned of about the effects of the French Revolution on the states, Adams opposed close ties with France.