Alien and Sedition Acts: Four bills—the Naturalization Act, Alien Act, Alien Enemies Act, and Sedition Act—passed by Congress in 1798 and signed into law by President John Adams. The Naturalization act extended from five to fourteen years the waiting period before citizenship —and with it, the right to vote— could be obtained by new immigrants. The two Alien Acts gave the president the right to deport or jail foreign citizens he deemed a threat to the nation's stability, especially during wartime. The Sedition Act criminalized criticism of the government. To write or publish views that disparaged the Administration was punishable by harsh fines and jail terms.
Anti-Federalists: A group who wanted a limited federal government and more power for individual states.
Articles of Confederation: From March 1, 1781, to June 21, 1788, the Articles served as the equivalent of the Constitution (1787). The Constitution replaced the Articles, which had failed to.....
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