George Washington.
Courtesy of American Memory at the Library of Congress.

 
 
Subject Areas
History and Social Studies
   U.S. History - Civics and U.S. Government
   U.S. History - Colonial America and the New Nation
 
Time Required
  1: From the President’s Lips: The Concerns that Led to the Sedition (and Alien) Act: 2 class periods.
2: The Debate in Congress: 1 or 2 class periods.
3: George Washington on the Sedition Act: 1 class period.
4: Thomas Jefferson on the Sedition Act: 1 or 2 class periods.
5: Consequences of the Sedition Act: From 1 to 3 class periods.
 
Skills
  Critical thinking
Historical interpretation
Primary source analysis
 
Additional Data
  Date Created: 12/19/03

George Washington on the Sedition Act

Lesson Three of the Curriculum Unit:
Certain Crimes Against the United States: The Sedition Act

Guiding Question

  • What arguments were offered in support of the Sedition Act?

Learning Objectives

After completing the lessons in this unit, students will be able to:
  • Cite arguments Washington used in support of the Sedition Act.
Former President George Washington was an enormously well respected figure in 1798, widely regarded then and now as a reasonable man. He sympathized with the Federalist administration of his former vice president, John Adams. Washington's favorable attitude toward the Sedition Act illustrates that reasonable men in 1798 could support what most modern Americans would regard as an unjust law.

Students will now read Washington's own words to determine his position on the Sedition Act. Distribute one of the following Washington letters to each of five student groups. The full text of each letter is available on the EDSITEment-reviewed website American Memory by clicking on the links below. Or, you can use the excerpts provided on the handout "George Washington on the Sedition Act" on pages 13-14 of the PDF file (see Preparing to Teach This Curriculum Unit for download instructions). If desired, distribute the Written Document Analysis Worksheet from the EDSITEment resource Digital Classroom to aid students as they read the letters.

The following questions will help guide students' review of these documents:
  • What arguments in favor of the Sedition Act does Washington cite?
  • What principles does Washington cite in relation to the Sedition Act and the controversy that resulted?
  • Which of Washington's remarks refer to partisan politics?
  • What role, if any, does he indicate partisan politics played in either the creation of the Sedition Act or the controversy that followed?
If desired, as an extension of the lesson, students can read other material in favor of the Sedition Act, including:
In this charge to the grand juries in Pennsylvania's fifth district, Alexander Addison (1759-1807), president of Pennsylvania's county courts, defends the Sedition Act, arguing that it was necessary to restrain demagoguery.
What arguments are put forth? Keeping in mind that those in favor of the act considered the country in a virtual state of war with France, which points are particularly telling? What complaints against the Sedition Act are these arguments answering?

Assessment

Lead students in a discussion of what they learned through this lesson. They should be able to respond effectively to the following questions:
  • What arguments were used in support of the Sedition Act?
  • What specific complaints about the Sedition Act do those who support it cite? What counter-arguments do they use?
  • What speech do students believe should be considered illegal?
  • Do students believe laws about freedom of speech should be different for times of war and times of peace?
  • In what ways did the Sedition Act protect security?
  • In what ways did the Sedition Act abuse powers or take away fundamental rights granted in the Constitution and/or Bill of Rights?
  • Did the Sedition Act tend, as written, to do more to protect security or to endanger freedom?
If desired, use the last bulleted question as the basis of a classroom debate.

Return to curriculum unit overview—
Certain Crimes Against the United States: The Sedition Act

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Other Information

Standards Alignment

  1. NCSS-10

    Civic ideals and practices. Citizenship in a democratic republic. more

  2. NCSS-5

    Individuals, groups, and institutions. more

  3. NCSS-6

    Power, authority, and governance. more

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