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Espionage Act
"To willfully cause or attempt to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny or refusal of duty, in the military or naval forces of the United States." Any kind of disloyalty or anything like that toward the military became illegal.
This limited people's free speech, as they could not say anything that was going against the government. -
Sedition Act
Forbids spoken or printed criticism of the US government.
Further limited people's free speech as people couldn't be critical of the government. -
Thornhill v. Alabama
Byron Thornhill joined a picketing line to protest his former employer.
U.S. Supreme Court strikes down Alabama Law that prohibits loitering and picketing. They said it violated there freedom if speech and press.
This limited people's free speech as it limited their right to assemble. -
Smith Act
Made it a crime to advocate for the violent overthrow of the government.
Limited people's free speech as they couldn't organize and advocate to overthrow the government. -
National Broadcasting Co. v. United States
NBC was starting to chain own many radio stations, and they were accused of creating a monopoly.
The first amendment right doesn't allow anyone to monopolize a radio frequency or have a radio license.
This limited people's free speech because it some what limited the amount in which they could spread their ideas and thoughts. -
NSPA v. Skokie
The NSPA tried to march multiple times in different locations, but they were stopped by the authorities.
The Illinois supreme court ruled that the National Socialist Party of America, a neo-Nazi group, can march through Skokie.
The result of this was the reaffirming of their 1st amendment right to assemble. -
Equal Access Act.
This prohibits secondary schools that are receiving financial assistance from denying equal access to students on the basis of their religion, political, or philosophical beliefs.
This gave students more power to express themselves. -
Texas v. Johnson
Gregory Johnson burned a flag outside the Republican National Convention to protest Ronald Reagan.
U.S. Supreme Court rules that burning the flag is protected by the 1st amendment.
This gave people more rights and protected their free speech -
Flag Protection Act.
People can't mutilate, deface, or burn etc. the flag.
This limited people's free speech and protected the flag. -
R.A.V. v. City of St. Paul
A group of teenager burned a cross in an African American family's yard.
U.S. Supreme Court invalidates a hate-speech ordinance, because it violates the First Amendment.
This opened people's free speech and they could no say "fighting words" and be protected
