The Rise Of Alien And Sedition Acts DBQ

There were many bitter controversies revealed when the Alien and Sedition Acts were passed in 1798. The rise of xenophobic fears was not only found in the general public but in the heart of the lawmakers.These acts show how xenophobic fears were on a rise, however howe these expansion were not constitutional, and the excesses power given to the federal government.

The Alien Act are examples of how in America, xenophobia, or the fear or distrust of people from other countries, was on the rise. This fear was rooted in Americans’ hearts due to events like the XYZ affair or even the revolution itself. Many Americans feared that other countries would take advantage of theirs well it was still in development stages, and what better target than

As humans it is hard for us to put aside biases. Alexander Addison said, “ the exercise of those faculties of opinion… must be limited, so that it never… represents a solemn truth or exercise of religion as false or ridiculous,” (Doc. 3) Personal biases can easily creep into law, as Addison said, when the government has too power. The xenophobia reflected in the Alien and Sedition Acts shows how personal biases can affect the whole nation. The government has too much power as there is no one to stop it from making these decisions. Representatives are supposed to represent the people and their interests, and that includes foreigners, yet they make acts against them. The federal government possessed too much power as it could make acts as it wished, not worrying about the consequences. Benjamin Franklin Banche said, “In Turkey, the voice of government is law, and there it is called despotism. Here the voice of government is likewise the law and here it is called liberty,” (Doc. 5). Another way the biases were shown was in the political cartoon (Doc.4) which shows Jefferson attempting to the destroy the constitution. The cartoon is expressing the fear that the federal government will gain too much power and overthrow the constitution, and as a result, giving the federal government much more power. The federal government possessed too much power and the American people were starting to notice, represented by the American eagle fighting Jefferson, attempting to stop him. The American people recognized that federal government possessed too much power, too much voice, and did not remember the basic freedoms which all men have, choosing instead to ignore them, allowing their personal biases to take