Question
Why did John Adams appoint "midnight judges" (judges chosen at the very end of his term as President)?He wanted Federalist judges to be working in the Federal Courts when Thomas Jefferson, who was NOT a federalist, became President to ensure their future influence on the government.He wanted there to be lots of women judges on the Supreme Court because his wife, Abigail Adams, told him it would be a good idea.He wanted to give all of his friends a job before they got fired by Thomas Jefferson.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
John Adams appointed "midnight judges" to ensure that Federalist judges would continue to hold positions in the federal judiciary even after he left office and Thomas Jefferson, a Democratic-Republican and opponent of the Federalists, assumed the presidency. This strategic move was intended to maintain Federalist influence in the government through the judiciary, as judges serve for life and are not easily removed. The efforts were part of the larger political conflict between the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans during that time. Therefore, the correct reason is:
**He wanted Federalist judges to be working in the Federal Courts when Thomas Jefferson, who was NOT a federalist, became President to ensure their future influence on the government.**
**He wanted Federalist judges to be working in the Federal Courts when Thomas Jefferson, who was NOT a federalist, became President to ensure their future influence on the government.**