Final answer:
The XYZ Affair, a diplomatic incident between the United States and France, led to increased public hostility towards France and resulted in the United States annulling their treaty of alliance with France. Following the affair, U.S. Congress authorized actions equivalent to an undeclared naval war with France, often referred to as the Quasi-War.
Step-by-step explanation:
Following the XYZ affair, which involved French diplomats demanding a bribe for negotiations, the United States had a very significant reaction. The affair led to an increase in public hostility towards France, and it has been documented that it turned public opinion drastically against France. As a result of the X, Y, Z affair, the United States began to prepare for a possible war with France.
Under the presidency of John Adams, the U.S. Congress annulled the treaty of alliance with France, which had been in place since the American Revolution, and authorized a variety of actions that amounted to an undeclared naval war. This unofficial conflict with France is often referred to as the Quasi-War.
The XYZ affair had a profound impact on American foreign relations and was significant in the development of the nascent nation's identity in the world stage, showing how it would engage in diplomatic disputes.
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