The Alien and Sedition Acts consisted of four laws enacted by the United States government in 1798. The United States passed these laws during a time of great uncertainty, a time when many Americans feared for the very survival for their nation.

But why did Americans fear for the United States’ existence and why did they think four laws that limited citizenship and freedom of speech would protect and secure their young republic?

Terri Halperin, an instructor at the University of Richmond and author of The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798: Testing the Constitution, will help us find answers to these questions by taking us through the Alien and Sedition Acts and how they came to be.

Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/188

Send Liz your questions about early American history for Episode 200!

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Complementary Episodes

• Episode 007: John Adams and the Adams Papers Documentary Editing Project
• Episode 017: François Furstenberg, When the United States Spoke French
• Episode 052: Ronald Johnson, Early United States-Haitian Diplomacy
• Episode 076: Nathan Perl-Rosenthal, Citizen Sailors: Becoming American in the Age of Revolution
• Episode 165: The Age of Revolutions
• Episode 167: Eberhard Faber, The Early History of New Orleans

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