The Really Small Bad Day Almanac: July 7

1798: The so-called "Quasi-War" between the United States and France begins as Congress rescinds its alliance with France after a dispute about the repayment of loans France made to the United States during the War for Independence. The conflict is never formally declared a war and is fought mostly at sea.  It ends in 1800. The Quasi-War figures in the American historical novel The Scattered Proud, which is set in France during this period.