From Whitehouse.gov

When Adams became President, the war between the French and British was causing great difficulties for the United States on the high seas and intense partisanship [taking of sides] among contending factions within the Nation.

His administration focused on France, where the Directory, the ruling group, had refused to receive the American envoy and had suspended commercial relations.

Adams sent three commissioners to France, but in the spring of 1798 word arrived that the French Foreign Minister Talleyrand and the Directory had refused to negotiate with them unless they would first pay a substantial bribe. Adams reported the insult to Congress, and the Senate printed the correspondence, in which the Frenchmen were referred to only as "X, Y, and Z."…

President Adams did not call for a declaration of war, but hostilities began at sea. At first, American shipping was almost defenseless against French privateers, but by 1800 armed merchantmen and U.S. warships were clearing the sea-lanes.

—WhiteHouse.gov

Question 1
Arrange the events below into the correct order, as described by the passage.

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1 answer

Based on the passage provided, the events can be arranged in the correct order as follows:

  1. Adams became President and faced difficulties due to the war between the French and British, causing intense partisanship in the United States.
  2. The French Directory refused to receive the American envoy and suspended commercial relations.
  3. Adams sent three commissioners to France.
  4. Word arrived that the French Foreign Minister Talleyrand and the Directory refused to negotiate unless a substantial bribe was paid.
  5. Adams reported the insult to Congress, leading to the Senate printing the correspondence referring to the Frenchmen as "X, Y, and Z."
  6. Hostilities began at sea, with American shipping being almost defenseless against French privateers.
  7. By 1800, armed merchantmen and U.S. warships were clearing the sea-lanes.

If you select the above sequence and place it in the correct order, it should accurately reflect the events as described in the passage.