From the moment John Adams entered the presidency in 1797, the United States was in a state of undeclared war with France. The Quasi-War, as it was known, dominated his presidency, monopolizing ...

Four years later, Napoleon Bonaparte and his army overthrew the Directory and signed the Convention of 1800 with the United States, a commercial agreement that ended the so-called Quasi War.

Related to the Jay Treaty, the XYZ Affair involved confrontations with France in 1797 and 1798 which became known the “Quasi- War.” Much of Adams’ presidency was dedicated to dealing with ...