Alien and Sedition Acts

Cultural  

1. A series of laws, passed during the presidency of John Adams at the end of the eighteenth century, that sought to restrict the public activities of political radicals who sympathized with the French Revolution and criticized Adams's Federalist policies. In response to the Alien and Sedition Acts, James Madison and Thomas Jefferson wrote the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, which asserted states' rights.

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Alien and Sedition Acts

Well, consider this: The Fifth Congress voted the Alien and Sedition Acts into law during its second session in 1798, just 22 years after the U.S. declared its independence.

From Salon ● Aug. 28, 2026

John Adams pushed Congress in 1798 to pass the Alien and Sedition Acts, measures that allowed the government to deport and otherwise persecute critics of the administration.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 8, 2026

The Alien Enemies Act of 1798 is the last of the notorious Alien and Sedition Acts to remain on the books, and it is suddenly in the headlines.

From Slate ● Oct. 28, 2024

The law is the only survivor of the Alien and Sedition Acts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2024

Jefferson had mentioned the Alien and Sedition Acts as a major source of partisan hatred.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis