US History Homework Help: Alien and Sedition Acts?

Question

The Federalists passed the Alien and Sedition Acts to "fix" America. How would these laws hurt the rival Republican party?

Answer 1

The Democratic-Republicans, like later historians, attacked them as being both unconstitutional and designed to stifle criticism of the administration, and as infringing on the right of the states to act in these areas. They became a major political issue in the elections of 1798 and 1800.