The Alien And Sedition Acts Of 1798 - 1594 Words

The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, instituted by President John Adams, were a turning point in American history. The Acts were the result of impending war with France, the French Revolution had just started, France was in turmoil with all the fighting, America was a new country, trying to find its footing and place in the world. President Adams was worried for the nation that the influx of FRench immigrants as a result of the war would disrupt the balance and security of the nation. As a result, Adams created the Alien and Sedition Acts, a series of laws on how aliens were treated and how the populace of American society could speak and act towards the government. The Alien and Sedition Acts instituted by Adams were unconstitutional and in direct violation of the Bill of Rights. In 1798, war was brewing in France, the Revolution had been going for 9 years. But it had not just affected France, but the world. America had been a new nation for over 20 years. At this time President John Adams was the second president of the U. S., with Thomas Jefferson as Vice President, as he lost the presedential election. Adams was a Federalist, through and through. He wanted to model policies off of Great Britain, Federalists saw foreigners as a threat to national security. Aos the Federalists hated the French Revolution because it led to mob rule and the confiscation of property. Thomas Jefferson was a Democratic-Republican, he loved France that they were having their own democraticShow MoreRelatedThe Alien And Sedition Acts1274 Words   |  6 Pagesdevelopment of the United States, one such set of acts played a key role in the way unto which this nation was formed and continues to affect it today. The Alien and Sedition Acts changed American ideology in the 18th Century a nd again influences the nation in the current era. By first understanding what the Alien and Sedition Acts were, how they shaped the nation s development, and their role in America today, the importance and influence that these acts had, will become prevalent and give insight intoRead MoreAlien And Sedition Acts Dbq1456 Words   |  6 PagesSophia Jefferson Mr. Carpenter AP US History 12.14.15 Alien and Sedition Acts DBQ The 1780’s and 1790’s were a time of growing contentions in America, and were capped off with the creation of the Alien and Sedition acts. The Alien and Sedition acts included four laws that made it extremely difficult to be an immigrant in the United States. These laws allowed the president to deport any immigrant he deemed dangerous or suspicious, allowed the government to remove immigrants in time of war and alsoRead MoreJohn Adams : The Second President Of The United States1224 Words   |  5 Pagesbribes that ended in the Quasi-War, which was fought at sea from 1798 to 1800. It was a victory for neither country. It ended in another treaty because it was a pointless argument. John Adams was able to handle it well, for it being one of his first national problems to face as the president. He had to strengthen the central government. In the article it states the cause of the Sedition Act, â€Å"The proximate cause of the Sedition Act was the Quasi-War with France, w hich led to charges that domesticRead MoreAlien and Sedition Acts Essay2819 Words   |  12 PagesOctober 2012 Alien and Sedition Acts In 1798 the United States was involved in an undeclared war with France. â€Å"The United States again stood on the brink of war with a major European power, only this time instead of Great Britain the hostile nation was France.†(Hay 141) Later on the Federalist Party passed a series of four laws which were called the Alien and Sedition Acts and the Federalists saw foreigners as a deep threat to American security. There were a series of four acts that were adoptedRead MoreThe Legacy Of John Adams1474 Words   |  6 Pagesthe four years of John Adams’ presidency were quiet and somewhat forgotten, his successes in foreign policy and his control no doubt outweighed his failures in the Sedition Act and with his cabinet, in part to his background and characteristics. John Adam’s greatest presidential accomplishment or success was his dealings with France in 1798. This incident is better known as the infamous â€Å"Quasi-War†. The Quasi War was a dispute between the United States and France mainly fought over sea with each countriesRead MorePartisan Politics During The Declaration Of Independence971 Words   |  4 Pagesbecause, again they had just fought to escape a monarchy and wanted to center the new government around its citizens, not the other way around. That was the main philosophy of Republicans. The first attempt to cut down Republicans was the Alien and Sedition Act of 1798, signed into law by President John Adams. It limited the freedom of speech by making it illegal to speak out against the Federal Government, which indirectly stopped Republicans from interfering with things that were happening in the whiteRead MoreA Friendship That Was At One Point Strong And Powerful Between Two Of Our Founding Fathers954 Words   |  4 Pageschaos to the United States. Democratic-republics denounced the strong centralization of federal power under Adam’s presidency. Republicans specifically objected the expansion of the U.S army and navy, the attack on individual rights in the Alien and Seduction Acts, and new taxes and deficit spending used to support broadened federal action. Thomas (Articles: Pundits Peddle Civility Sophistry. American Thinker) The election also called the revolution of 1800 was tied between Thomas Jefferson and ArronRead MorePolitical Parties And The Ame rican Political System1657 Words   |  7 Pagesswiftly enacted a series of laws in 1798 to make the United States more secure from traitors and spies. The Alien Enemies and Alien Friends Acts gave the government the authority to detain and deport anyone suspected of committing treason. The final law was the Sedition Act, which made it illegal for anyone to express â€Å"any false, scandalous and malicious writing† against Congress or the president; both positions were dominated by pro-Hamilton ideals. Significantly, the act had no provisions to protect theRead MoreA Brief Biography on Thomas Jefferson Essay1487 Words   |  6 PagesColonists were losing patience, nothing resonated more than the restrictions on individual and political rights, and power inequalities within the Colonies. (www.loc.gov, 2014) It was these oppressions that eventually forced our Founding Fathers to act against King George. Thomas Jefferson played a key and influential role in the American Revolution by putting his thoughts on paper. Before the Declaration of Independence was imagined, discussed, or signed, Jefferson was publishing works to promoteRead MoreAlien And Sedition Acts Violated Citizens Rights2737 Words   |  11 PagesAlien and Sedition Acts Violated Citizens’ Rights - Final George Washington was unanimously elected as the first President of United States of America in 1789 and again in 1792. No political parties existed in America during that time. Founding Fathers including George Washington believed that political parties would be harmful for the young America. They envisioned the politics in the young nation to be cooperative and not competitive. By the end of the eighteenth century, however, political parties