DBQ: The Alien And Sedition Acts Of 1798

u.s. hISORY hONORS | Alien and Sedition Acts | Historical Essay | | Emilee Lord | 8/25/2012 |

A brief essay on the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 and why they were a poor decision by the United States’ young government. |

When viewing the era of the Adams’ administration, with all the political turmoil that is associated with it, historians continually come to analyze one set of acts in particular, The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, to try to determine whether or not these acts were a wise move on the part of the government. These acts, which allowed for the president to arrest or deport any alien he thought to be treasonous, called for any persons’ arrest that spoke out against the government, and required a report to
This act was passed by the Federalist-majority government at the time for the purpose of silencing the growing dissent of Democratic-Republicans who were criticizing the president, John Adams, for his pro-British stance and poor dealings with the French in the XYZ Affair that led to an undeclared naval war for two years beginning in 1798 (textbook). Nothing that is remotely unconstitutional should be allowed passage into law as were the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, for such things can only hurt the country and stall the spread of nationalism, which was really what America needed at the time if it wanted to seem powerful and self-sufficient to other countries such as Britain, who would have liked nothing more than to turn them back into
Neither piece of his advice was headed as while he was still President, two of cabinet members, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, had followers in political belief who coined themselves, Democratic-Republicans and Federalists, respectively. This division amongst Americans continued to widen into the days of Adams’ federalist administration over such issues as Native American placement and dealings with the French. These heated topics spurred on much debate and public criticism from the Democratic- Republicans who had other ideas as to how the situations should be handled. In an attempt to stop the dissenters from speaking poorly against the government, Federalists passed the Alien and Sedition Acts. Aimed primarily had the Democratic- Republicans, the acts allowed for the deportation or arrest of any immigrant thought undesirable by the President and immediate arrest of any one defaming the government or thought suspicious. Being unconstitutional as they were, this law angered Democratic- Republicans and they called, reasonably enough, for its retraction. In due response to the acts, Democratic-Republican leaders, James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, created resolutions, which were adopted by Kentucky and Virginia legislatures, that allowed states the principle of nullification, or the