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First Amendment Ratified
The Constitution included the First Amendment which protected Americans from government censorship of speech. The Amendment reads: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." -
Alien and Sedition Acts
Signed into law by John Adams, the acts allowed the government to imprison immigrants who were deemed dangerous and banned "false statements' critical of the federal government." Thomas Jefferson later pardoned everyone convicted under the acts. -
Anthony Comstock
Anthony Comstock was the driving force behind Comstock Laws, which were passed on the local, state, and federal levels of government. They banned "obscene" content in literature and articles. This was also reflected in the creation of groups like The New York Society for the Suppression of Vice. -
First States Ban Flag Burning
Illinois, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota ban the desecration of the American flag, being the first states to do so. Most other states would eventually follow this precedent. -
The Sedition Act of 1918
Expanded the Espionage Act to allow prosecution for negative coverage and speech about WWI, primarily targeting left-wing activists who opposed the war. -
The Motion Picture Production Code
To avoid government regulation, the Movie industry adopted a strict moral code for the production of their films. -
The Smith Act
This law made it illegal to advocate for the overthrow of the United States government, as well as requiring non-citizens to register with the government. -
The Office of Censorship
During WWII, the US set up the Office of Censorship to prevent the leaking of sensitive wartime information. They attempted to strike a balance between national security and civil liberties. -
McCarthyism
Joseph McCarthy prompted a period of government censorship of leftist (and even liberal) speech in the United States to prevent the spread of Communism. It bled over into entertainment as well, with things like the Hollywood Blacklist. -
Tinker Vs. Des Moines
The Supreme Court ensured that students going to public schools also received protection by the first amendment. -
FCC v. Pacifica
The Supreme Court ruled that the FCC was allowed to fine for broadcasting indecent content -
Texas v. Johnson
A Supreme Court case that ruled that banning flag-burning was unconstitutional.
