What were the Sedition Acts?

The Sedition Acts was one of the most infamous laws in American history. Signed into law in 1798, this piece of legislation gave President John Adams two controversial pieces of executive power: the ability to deport any alien the President deemed "dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States" and the restriction of "seditious" political speech. The ruling Federalist Party justified these repressive measures by claiming they were essential to combating the violent ideas spreading from Revolutionary France.