Question

How did the xyz affair get its name?

1) xyz was the tribute demanded by the french government.
2) xyz was the tribute demanded by the english government.
3) the americans referred to the french representatives as xyz.
4) each letter represented the first initial of the french representatives' names.

Answer 1

The XYZ Affair was named after the pseudonyms X, Y, and Z used by American negotiators to refer to the French agents seeking bribes to open treaty negotiations. President John Adams's disclosure of the French bribe demands led to public outrage and strained U.S.-France relations, contributing to the Quasi-War.

Step-by-step explanation:

The XYZ Affair got its name because the American negotiators referred to the French representatives who attempted to bribe them using the pseudonyms X, Y, and Z. The affair surfaced when John Adams, the President of the United States, revealed that the French Foreign Minister Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord attempted to extract concessions from the American envoys. The French demanded that Adams apologize for anti-French statements, the United States pay its outstanding debts to France, and loan 50,000 pounds as a tribute, essentially a bribe, before negotiations on a treaty could commence.

This incident caused a public outcry and sparked the Quasi-War between France and the United States. In the domestic sphere, this affair intensified partisan political divisions, with the Federalists supporting defensive actions against France, while the Republican party was skeptical of the French threat and opposed to escalating military actions.