America: Growth Of A New Nation 1798-1814 - First Constitutional Crisis

The video discusses the Alien and Sedition Acts passed by the Federalist-controlled US Congress in 1798. These acts aimed to protect the government from criticism and weaken the Democratic Republican Party. The Alien Act targeted foreigners, extending naturalization and allowing the expulsion of those deemed dangerous. The Sedition Act criminalized criticism of the government, sparking outrage for violating the First Amendment. Thomas Jefferson and the Republicans opposed these acts, viewing them as unconstitutional. The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions emerged as a response, advocating for states' rights to nullify federal laws deemed unconstitutional.

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