1. President Adams and the XYZ Affair
Alien Acts: three laws that allowed the president to order foreigners considered to be a threat to national security to be jailed or deported.
Targeted French and Irish refugees, most of whom supported the French
Increased the period of residency required for citizenship from 5 years to 14
Required foreigners to register with the government
Allowed the president to jail or expel any foreigner thought to be “dangerous to the peace and safety” of the country
The Sedition Act outlawed any opposition to government policies by actions or by “false, scandalous, or malicious writing.”
Targeted the Democratic-Republicans, who historically supported the French

2. President Adams and the XYZ Affair
Nine Democratic-Republican newspaper editors and a member of Congress were convicted under the Sedition Act.
Jefferson and Madison drafted the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, where they argued that the Alien and Sedition Acts were unconstitutional.
They hoped states would nullify the laws.
Only Virginia and Kentucky passed the resolutions.
In the end, there was a deeper and more bitter political divide in Congress and the country.