sedition

Examples of sedition in the following topics:

• Sunset Laws

  • The Sedition Act of 1798 was a political tool used by John Adams and the Federalist Party to suppress opposition that contained a sunset provision.
  • John Adams and his Federalist Party used a sunset provision in the Sedition Act of 1798 to ensure that the Sedition Act would cease once Adams was out of office.

• Freedom of the Press

  • In 1798, not long after the adoption of the Constitution, the governing Federalist Party attempted to stifle criticism with the Alien and Sedition Acts.
  • The Espionage Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918 imposed restrictions on free press during wartime.

• Freedom of Assembly and Petition

  • During the 1790s, Congress passed the Alien and Sedition Acts, punishing opponents of the Federalist Party; the Supreme Court never ruled on the matter.
  • During World War I, individuals petitioning for the repeal of sedition and espionage laws were punished—again, the Supreme Court did not rule on the matter.

• The Supremacy Clause

  • Nelson (1956) the Supreme Court struck down the Pennsylvania Sedition Act, which made advocating the forceful overthrow of the federal government a crime under Pennsylvania state law.

• The First Amendment

  • Anti-war protests during World War I gave rise to several important free speech cases related to sedition and inciting violence.