Sedition Act - 1769 Words

Ma. Cristine Ong History 101 July 11th 2013 ESSAY #2 George Hay was a Virginia legislator who was known for his opposition to the Sedition Act of 1798. The Sedition Act was originally part of the Alien and Sedition Acts, which were passed at the anticipation of war between our nation and the French. These acts, particularly the Alien act were specifically aimed at the French immigrants who were waiting for their citizenships. Americans did not really care about those laws except for the Sedition Act. A lot of Republicans including George Hay opposed to this law, because they thought that it was violating the rights of the Americans to have freedom of speech and of press. So, as a way of expressing his own opinion, George Hay wrote an†¦show more content†¦He strongly believed that the Sedition Act was so unconstitutional, because it was prohibiting the freedom of the citizens to freely express their own opinion, exchange ideas within the society, and most importantly to analyze every aspect of the government. I think we, as a citizen of the United States, have a right to criticize the government and its officials, but that does not mean that we should do it carelessly, nor it should be held against us if we ever do. There is a fine line between criticism and insult, and I think this is where a lot of the problems are coming from. Criticizing the government is all right, as long as we do it in a right manner, and by that, we should be able to point out the things we need improvement on, and also how we would like to execute it in order to make it better. Insulting, on the other hand, is another story. I do not think it is good for the morale of the country and the government, because you are just simply pointing out the imperfections and not necessarily assisting into making it better. We live in a country where democracy is being practiced, so it does not make sense to be charged with a crime for expressing our own, and honest opinion. The voices of the people should always be heard, both the positive and negative assessments. Also, it is written in the constitution under the First Amendment that every single person in thisShow MoreRelatedThe Alien And Sedition Acts1274 Words   |  6 Pagesdevelopment of the United States, one such set of acts played a key role in the way unto which this nation was formed and continues to affect it today. The Alien and Sedition Acts changed American ideology in the 18th Century and again influences the nation in the current era. By first understanding what the Alien and Sedition Acts were, how they shaped the nation s development, and their role in America today, the importance and influence that these acts had, will become prevalent and give insight intoRead MoreThe Alien And Sedition Acts Of 17981594 Words   |  7 PagesThe Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, instituted by President John Adams, were a turning point in American history. The Acts were the result of impending war with France, the French Revolution had just started, France was in turmoil with all the fighting, America was a new country, trying to find its footing and place in the world. President Adams was worried for the nation that the influx of FRench immigrants as a result of the war would disrupt the balance and security of the nation. As a resultRead MoreAlien And Sedition Acts Dbq1456 Words   |  6 PagesSophia Jefferson Mr. Carpenter AP US History 12.14.15 Alien and Sedition Acts DBQ The 1780’s and 1790’s were a time of growing contentions in America, and were capped off with the creation of the Alien and Sedition acts. The Alien and Sedition acts included four laws that made it extremely difficult to be an immigrant in the United States. These laws allowed the president to deport any immigrant he deemed dangerous or suspicious, allowed the government to remove immigrants in time of war and alsoRead MoreAlien and Sedition Acts Essay2819 Words   |  12 PagesOctober 2012 Alien and Sedition Acts In 1798 the United States was involved in an undeclared war with France. â€Å"The United States again stood on the brink of war with a major European power, only this time instead of Great Britain the hostile nation was France.†(Hay 141) Later on the Federalist Party passed a series of four laws which were called the Alien and Sedition Acts and the Federalists saw foreigners as a deep threat to American security. There were a series of four acts that were adopted toRead MoreWhy Did The Federalists Believe That The Sedition Act Was Necessary?1196 Words   |  5 Pages 1. Why did the Federalists believe that the Sedition Act was necessary?   What exactly was the threat, according to Abigail Adams? What threat is implied by the wording of the act? †¢ Around the time of 1798, many writers and politicians who weren’t supportive of a break with France were writing and publishing papers that directly criticized President John Adams’s foreign policy regarding France. Specifically, â€Å"Bache† and his â€Å"paper† are mentioned several times in Abigail Adams’s letters. AbigailRead MoreEssay about Espionage Act of 1917 and Sedition Act (Amendment) of 19181468 Words   |  6 PagesEspionage Act of 1917 and Sedition Act (Amendment) of 1918   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On April 2nd 1917, President Woodrow Wilson of the United States of America, went before Congress and called for a declaration of war. Both the House and the Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of going to war with Germany.?# This was an act that led to much resistance among the American people. Not four months earlier the American people re-elected President Wilson, partly because of his success in keeping the United StatesRead MoreAlien And Sedition Acts Essay846 Words   |  4 Pagesgovernment had passed the Alien and Sedition Acts, giving them the power to jail immigrants and take some people’s rights away. The historical question is asking if the Alien and Sedition Acts violated the U.S Constitution. People would find these acts constitutional because aliens have temporary rights and should be taken away when they become too dangerous. I think that the Alien and Sedition Acts did violate the U.S Constitution. One reason why the Alien and Sedition Acts were unconstitutional is thatRead MoreAlien And Sedition Acts Violated Citizens Rights2737 Words   |  11 PagesAlien and Sedition Acts Violated Citizens’ Rights - Final George Washington was unanimously elected as the first President of United States of America in 1789 and again in 1792. No political parties existed in America during that time. Founding Fathers including George Washington believed that political parties would be harmful for the young America. They envisioned the politics in the young nation to be cooperative and not competitive. By the end of the eighteenth century, however, political partiesRead MoreThe Federalist Party Vs. The United States904 Words   |  4 Pagespolitical shift from Federalists, Washington and Adams, to Democratic-Republicans, Jefferson and Madison, resulted in non-Federalists coming to power and a shifting of government focus, the repealing of policies such as the Alien and Sedition Acts and the Judiciary Act of 1808, and westward expansion. When Jefferson and the non-federalists came to power, they began to change former federalist policies they did not agree with. It began with Jefferson dismissin g almost all the FederalistsRead MoreRestrictions on Free Speech in Malaysia2182 Words   |  9 PagesProtecting Free Speech, by using Restrictions? It is undeniable that the citizens of Malaysia have been granted the freedom of speech, assembly and association, as stated in the Act 10 of the Federal Constitution. Quoted from the Federal Constitution, every citizen has the right to free expression and speech. However, freedom of speech is an issue which has been discussed and argued for a long time, not only in Malaysia but all around the world. It is discussed that how â€Å"free† a speech can be. Does