Adam's presidency (mar 4, 1797 – mar 4, 1801)
Description:
Alien and Sedition Acts- Cause: Federalists believed Democratic-Republicans criticism of Federalist policies was disloyal and feared that aliens living in the U.S. would sympathize with the French during a war.
- Effect: raised residency requirements for citizenship from 5 to 14 years, authorized the president to deport aliens and permitted their arrest, imprisonment, and deportation during wartime
Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions
- Cause: argued against Aliens and Sedition Act as it violated 1st Amendment of the Constitution
- Effect: crisis over Aliens and Sedition Act faded as Federalists lost majority in Congress and new Democratic-Republican majority allowed acts to expire or repealed them. The supreme court asserted power whether federal law is constitutional
Added to timeline:
Date:
mar 4, 1797
mar 4, 1801
~ 4 years