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The United States
The Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Second Continental Congress meeting at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia on July 4th, 1776. -
Alien and Sedition Act
This act makes it harder for immigrants to become US citizens. The new majority lets the act expire, and President Thomas Jefferson pardons those who were convicted under it. -
Efforts to End Slavery
Abolitionists find ways to petition slavery through Congress and pro- slavery members at the House of Representatives. -
The Sedition Act/ World War I
After the United States enters World War I, federal government imposes criminal penalties on all forms pf expression involved in war mobilization. Hundreds were convicted, some even deported with no trial. Congress repealed the act in 1921. -
Schenck v. United States
In Supreme Court, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes said that the expression which in the circumstances were intended to result in a crime, and posed a "clear and present danger" of succeeding, could be punished. -
Brown v. Board of Education
The Court declared state laws establishing separate schools for black and white children to be unconstitutional. This decision overturned Plessy v. Ferguson decision made in 1896, which allowed state sponsored segregation. -
Engel v. Vitale
Parents were complaining that the mandatory prayer sessions in school went against their own religious beliefs. This Supreme Court case made it unconstitutional for state officials to compose school prayer. -
Freedom of Information Act Passes
President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Freedom of Information Act which allows government records to be accessed by the public among request. -
Tinker v. Des Moines
The Court decision allowed First Amendment to apply to public schools. Justice Hugo Black believed that disruptive "symbolic speech" was not constitutionally protected. This led to the protection of symbolic speech. -
Buckley v. Valeo
Supreme Court invalidates provisions that restrict candidates ability to spend their own money on a campaign, limit campaign expenditures by outside groups, and limit total campaign spending. Compared to "political speech" -
Allegheny v. ACLU
Supreme Court ruled that although not all religious celebrations on government property were violations of the First Amendment, but that anything endorsed was unconstitutional. -
Morse v. Frederick
Joseph Frederick held up a banner that said "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" and the principal told him to put it away, and he refused to comply. The Court ruled against Frederick saying that his action was not protected by the First Amendment. This caused outrage because some say he was using his free speech.
