Why was it called the xyz affair?

Answer 1

John Adams, the second President of the United States, was urged by Americans to go to war with France. Adams was well aware that declaring war on France would harm the United States gravely, for during the late 1700s our military was not sufficient to battle with Another Country. Adams received word from his representatives sent to France that the foreign country would agree to stop interfering with US shipping - for a price. France claimed that the United States representatives would need to formally meet with French agents code named X, Y, and Z and give them a bribe of 200,000 dollars. This affair is called the XYZ affair due to the names of the agents used by France when they tried to bribe the United States.

Answer 2

The XYZ Affair was a political debacle in the administration of the second president of the United States, John Adams. It derives its name from the substitution of the letters X, Y, and Z for the names of French diplomats named in documents there were released by Adams' administration.

Answer 3

The XYZ Affair occurred in 1797 and 1798. The colonists sent representatives to France to work out problems that could grow into war. They were met by French representatives who demanded bribes.