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Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798

Definition

The Alien and Sedition Acts were a series of laws passed by Congress in 1798 that targeted immigrants and limited free speech. They authorized the government to deport non-citizens deemed dangerous, made it harder for immigrants to become citizens, and criminalized criticism of the government.

Analogy

Imagine you invite some friends over for a movie night, but then suddenly decide to kick out anyone who disagrees with your taste in movies or criticizes your choices. That's kind of how the Alien and Sedition Acts worked - they kicked out immigrants who were critical of the government.

Related terms

Naturalization Act: This act increased the residency requirement for immigrants to become citizens from 5 to 14 years.

Sedition Act: This act made it a crime to publish "false, scandalous, or malicious" writings against the government.

First Amendment: The First Amendment is part of the Bill of Rights that protects freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition. It was directly impacted by the Alien and Sedition Acts because they restricted freedom of speech and press.