The Alien and Sedition Acts helped the Federalist Party control national politics in the following two ways:
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By limiting the ability of the states to challenge federal authority - The acts empowered the federal government and reduced the capacity of states to oppose or undermine federal laws and actions.
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By restricting people's ability to criticize the government - The Sedition Act specifically made it a crime to publish false, scandalous, or malicious writing against the government, which suppressed dissent and criticism, helping the Federalists maintain their political dominance.