Although the Sedition Act was repealed three years later, many were charged with sedition during and immediately after World War I, when fear of Communists was rampant. The following year, 1918, Congress passed a harsh companion act to the Espionage Act known as the Sedition Act, which made it a crime to speak ill of or criticize the American government, the Constitution, and remarkably, even the national flag. This language allowed the government to target socialists, communists, pacifists, and anarchists-all of which were opposed to the war. Thanks to the convenient wording of the act, those who protested against newly introduced conscription, or against the war itself, became prime subjects for prosecution. Though the charge of espionage included “promot the success of enemies” it also encompassed a much greater swath of possible violators.īased on the terms dictated by Congress, anyone who interfered with or attempted to undermine the United States’ war effort could be prosecuted under the law and face a 20-year prison sentence and a $10,000 fine. The Espionage Act gave the federal government increased leverage to prosecute what it considered unruly elements. The act, which was meant to define the act of espionage during wartime, put new limits to Americans’ First Amendment rights. On June 15, 1917, just two months after the United States entered World War I, Congress adopted the Espionage Act. ESPIONAGE DEFINITION US HISTORY FULLToday’s post comes from Sonia Kahn in the National Archives History Office. Visit the National Archives website for a full list of events and activities related to the 100th anniversary of World War I.
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