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12. What was the political fallout from the Alien and Sedition Acts? _____________________________________
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SEDITION ACT OF 1797 KEY

To combat against threats from French agitators
1. Why did Congress enact the Alien and Sedition Acts? ________________________________________________
An Act for the Punishment of Certain Crimes Against the United States
2. What is the title of this Act? __________________________________________________________________
July 14, 1798
3. When was it approved? _____________________________________________________________________

4. Review section 1. Underline the words, “Combine, conspire, to oppose or impede(obstruct) any law of the United
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States.” Now re-write will vary
in your own words. ______________________________________________________
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b. How might people be involved in will vary______________________________________________
these activities? - Any sort of protests or strikes
5. Underline the words. ”Attempt to procure(bring about) any insurrection, riot, unlawful assembly”
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Rewrite in your wil vary
own words. __________________________________________________________________

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b. How might individuals be involved will
in thesevary
activities? - It may range from planning
___________________________________________
a protest, to planning a riot or uprising against the government to participating in a protest
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that erupts in violence
6. From section 1, a
whatfine not exceeding
is the punishment five thousand dollars, and
if found guilty? ___________________________________________
by imprisonment during a term not less than six months nor exceeding five years
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7. Underline the following words. “Write, print, utter or publish” “False, scandalous and malicious writing or writings against the
government of the United States, either house of the Congress of the United States, the President of the United States”
Which group of people newspaper writers,
would be most likely target in this section? preachers,
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local, state, and national law makers
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8. From Section 2,A

whatfine not exceeding
is the punishment $2000, and imprisonment
if found guilty?____________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
not exceeding two years
9. Why do you think the punishment for Section 1 or more harsh than the punishment in Section 2? ___________
Section 1 covers violence against the government which is considered more serious, while
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Section 2 covers speech and the written word
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10. Read the introduction again regarding the First Amendment. Do you believe the Sedition Act would be declared
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constitutional if it were passed will
today? ________ Explain why. vary -
______________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

Attacks on the Democratic-Republicans

Secretary of State Thomas Pickering was responsible for enforcing the Alien and Sedition Acts. He instantly began
to read as many Republican newspapers as he could, looking for evidence of sedition against President Adams and
the Federalist Congress. Fifteen indictments were brought under the Sedition Act, mostly against editors and
publishers of Republican newspapers. Some Republican newspapers were forced to close down, and many others
were too scared to criticize the government.

Final Effects
Because these acts stirred so much debate and distain between Americans over the freedom of speech and the
press, President Adams and the Federalist party suffered in popularity. In the election of 1800, the Federalists lost
their majority control of congress and Adams failed to win a second term. The new president, Thomas Jefferson
declared a revolution and pardoned all who had been convicted of the Sedition Acts. In addition, the Kentucky and
Virginia Resolutions asserted that states nullify, or ignore the law because it was unconstitutional.

11. The Federalist claimed they enacted these laws to protect the government from French agitators. Who did the
Republican newspaper writers and others who criticized them
Federalist use the laws against?______________________________________________________________
Federalists lost control of congress and
12. What was the political fallout from the Alien and Sedition Acts? _____________________________________
Adams lost his reelection bid to the presidency
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