Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Consequences of the Sedition Act

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers research and discuss the consequences of the Sedition Act. They illustrate the difficulty of balancing security needs and personal freedom using an example from John Adams's presidency.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Thomas Jefferson on the Sedition Act

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research and cite arguments Jefferson used in objecting to the Sedition Act. They discuss Jefferson's opinion on how constitutional questions about the Sedition Act could be resolved.
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Lesson 2: The Debate in Congress on the Sedition Act

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Pupils research and discuss the provisions in the Constitution that supported the arguments for and against the Sedition Act. They articulate objections to and arguments in favor of the Sedition Act.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

From the President's Lips: The Concerns that Led to the Sedition (and Alien) Act

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars research and briefly summarize the international situation during John Adams's presidency. They list the concerns that led to the Sedition Act and describe it.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

George Washington on the Sedition Act

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
Students investigate the Sedition Act and George Washington's position on the act. In this United States Colonial history lesson, students read about George Washington's position on the Sedition Act. Students then participate in a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Alien and Sedition Acts: Defining American Freedom

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze the Alien and Sedition Acts. In this Bill of Rights lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the details of the Alien Act and the Sedition Acts. Students examine Supreme Court...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Alien and Sedition Acts: Defining American Freedom

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders explore the purpose of the Alien and Sedition Acts.  In this US History lesson plan, 11th graders analyze primary source documents.  Students write an essay using writing prompts. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Thomas Jefferson's Concept of America

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students study Thomas Jefferson's concept of America. They read a chapter from the book, Thomas Jefferson's America, and discuss its main events comparing it to current events. Role-playing a citizen from the 1790s, they write a letter...
Lesson Plan
James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation

A Deliberate, Palpable and Dangerous Exercise of Other Powers: James Madison & Homeland Security

For Teachers 6th - 12th
This resource uses primary source documents to explore the First Amendment. After reviewing key events of the 1790s, government or US history classes explore Madison's letter to Jefferson regarding the Alien and Sedition Acts. They then...
Interactive
Curated OER

The First Years of the Union (1797-1809)

For Students 7th - 12th
In this online interactive history worksheet, students respond to 11 short answer and essay questions about the United States between 1797 and 1809. Students may check some of their answers on the interactive worksheet.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Worksheet #56 Questions - Judicial Terms

For Students 8th - 9th
In this American judicial terms worksheet, students examine their knowledge through ten fill in the blank questions that relate to the aforementioned topic.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The First Amendment: Freedom of Expression

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students explore First Amendment rights. In this U.S. Constitution lesson, students examine the freedom of expression as they view a PowerPoint presentation and listen to the lecture that accompanies it.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Understanding the Election of 1800 and the Twelfth Amendment

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders examine the election of 1800.  In this American Government instructional activity, 11th graders summarize the events that made the election controversial.  Students advocate for a candidate during a short role...
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Neh: Edsit Ement: The Sedition Act: Certain Crimes Against the United States

For Teachers 9th - 10th
For this Curriculum Unit, students will consider "The Sedition Act: Certain Crimes Against the United States" in 5 Lessons. The unit also includes worksheets and other student materials that can be found under the resource tab.
Website
Digital History

Digital History: Sedition Act and the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Read about the foreign policy problems the United States was having at the beginning of the Adams administration. See what led up the the passage of the Sedition Act and some ramifications of it, and the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions...
Website
University of Groningen

American History: Documents: The Kentucky Resolution of 1799

For Students 9th - 10th
The full text of the Kentucky Resolution of 1799, in which the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky declares its opposition to the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798.
Website
Digital History

Digital History: James Thomson Callender, Scandalmonger

For Students 9th - 10th
James Thomson Callender was a little-known journalist whose writings made a big splash in the new American nation. Read about his attacks on political figures, and see what the Sedition Act had to do with his conviction of a crime.
Website
US Department of State

Office of the Historian: The United States and the French Revolution

For Students 9th - 10th
The French Revolution had political consequences in the United States. It forced us to adopt a clear foreign policy of neutrality and to pass legislation concerning immigration. Examine how Jefferson and Adams responded to the French...
Primary
Henry J. Sage

Sage American History: The Kentucky and Virginia Resolution

For Students 9th - 10th
Historical text of the the Kentucky and Virginia Resolution written in 1798 by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. The resolution was written as a protest to the Sedition Act.
Website
University of Virginia

Miller Center at Uva: u.s. Presidents: John Adams

For Students 9th - 10th
A great in-depth biography of John Adams. Topics include: his life before the presidency, campaigns and elections, domestic affairs, foreign affairs, and life after the presidency. Links to the first lady, his Cabinet members, and Staff...
eBook
OpenStax

Open Stax: Partisan Politics

For Students 11th - 12th Standards
By reading this section of a chapter on "The New Republic", students will be able to identify key examples of partisan wrangling between the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans, describe how foreign relations affected American...
Website
University of Virginia

Miller Center at Uva: u.s. Presidents: John Adams: A Life in Brief

For Students 9th - 10th
A good look at John Adams as president and the struggles he had both domestically and in foreign affairs. Read about how he kept America out of war and his political isolation because of his hard-held beliefs.
Website
Other

American Presidents: John Adams

For Students 9th - 10th
List of facts about John Adams and his presidency, with links to additional information, including the text of his inaugural address and a letter to Thomas Jefferson.
Study Guide
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: The Election of 1800

For Students 9th - 10th
This Khan Academy resource provides and overview of the issues surrounding the Election of 1800.