How do you personally feel about the Alien and Sedition Acts? Do you believe they were necessary to keep the country together as

Question

natulia [17]

3 years ago

15

How do you personally feel about the Alien and Sedition Acts? Do you believe they were necessary to keep the country together as

fear of a war with France grew or that they violated the First Amendment? Both? Explain your response.

History

1 answer:

Amiraneli [1.4K] · Answer 1 · 2022-04-15T18:13:47+03:00

Incomplete question. However, I inferred you are referring to the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 based on the differing opinions about the two bills.

<u>Explanation:</u>

<em>Remember, </em>it was President John Adams's administration that push support for the bill primarily because of the fear of a war with France. But consider, the bills allowed the U.S government at the time to

arrest and deport any male citizen belonging to an enemy nation if there is an outbreak of war,
deport non-citizens who are suspected [without being found guilty in court] of plotting harm against the U.S government, even in a period of peace.

However, since the First Amendment of the constitution was drafted to guaranteed freedom of speech and freedom of the press it seems the Alien and Sedition Acts illegally overrode those provisions.