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These acts passed during John Adams' presidency made it more difficult to become a citizen and slander (or criticize) the government

User Cohadar
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Final answer:

The Alien and Sedition Acts, passed during John Adams' presidency, made it more difficult to become a citizen and criticize the government.

Step-by-step explanation:

The acts passed during John Adams' presidency that made it more difficult to become a citizen and criticize the government were collectively known as the Alien and Sedition Acts. These acts consisted of the Naturalization Act, the Alien Enemies Act, and the Alien Friends Act. The Naturalization Act extended the residency requirement for citizenship from five years to fourteen years, while the Alien Enemies Act allowed the president to deport or imprison aliens from enemy countries during times of war. The Alien Friends Act allowed for the deportation of any alien deemed a threat to national safety. Furthermore, the Sedition Act imposed harsh penalties on those speaking or writing critically against the government. These acts were primarily used against members and supporters of the opposition party, the Democratic-Republicans.

User Chris Panayotoff
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