The Alien and Sedition Acts were signed into law by John Adams in 1798. The Alien Acts made it more difficult for immigrants to become American citizens and the Seditions Acts made it a crime of criticize the federal government. The First Amendment had been adopted as part of the Bill of Rights only seven years earlier. The Alien and Sedition Acts planted the seeds for Thomas Jefferson's election and support for states' rights. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The Federalist Party, led by Alexander Hamilton, wanted better relations with Great Britain. During George Washington's presidency, Secretary of State John Jay negotiated the Jay Treaty with Great Britain, which created formal trade ties between the two countries. This inflamed conflict on both sides of the Atlantic with the Federalists aligning themselves with Britain and the Republican Party supporting France. The Republican Party's negative feelings towards the aristocracy made them natural allies of France, which was in the midst of a revolution. France and Great Britain had fought in the War of the First Coalition. Due to the newly formed relationship between the United States and Great Britain through the Jay Treaty, the United States' refusal to repay its debts to France, and the XYZ Affair, an undeclared quasi-war began between the United States and France. France began to disrupt shipping lanes in the Atlantic. In response to French aggression, John Adams signed the Alien and Sedition Acts into law. These acts made it more difficult for immigrants to acquire American citizenship and also criminalized speech critical of the federal government. Republicans were furious at what they believed was gross overreach by the federal government. Several people have been prosecuted under this law, including Democratic-Republican Congressman Matthew Lyon of Vermont. Lyon had written an essay critical of the Adams administration. Lyon was found guilty and sentenced to four months in prison. While in prison, he was re-elected to Congress. In response to the Alien and Sedition Acts, Vice President Thomas Jefferson and James Madison secretly drafted the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions. The policy statement criticized the acts as unconstitutional on behalf of Kentucky and Virginia. It was a rebuke to federalism and advanced the cause of states' rights. He argued that states had the right to judge and declare federal laws unconstitutional. These resolutions are believed to have planted the seed of civil war by setting the tone for states to challenge the federal government. The controversy between the acts and resolutions would lead to John Adams losing his bid for re-election to Democratic-Republican candidate Thomas Jefferson. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom EssayIn the face of foreign aggression, John Adams attempted to quell domestic dissent. When John Adams enacted the Alien and Sedition Acts, he provoked national sentiment that led to the advancement of states' rights. As a result of the Alien and Sedition Acts, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison promoted states' rights through the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions. The controversy over the Alien and Sedition Acts culminated in the election of Thomas Jefferson, who became the third president of the United States, who ultimately repealed much of the Alien and Sedition Acts..