Sedition Act of 1918

Passed May 16, 1918, the Sedition Act was technically an amendment to the Espionage Act of 1917. Although the Espionage Act of 1917 contained provisions limiting free speech rights during war, the Sedition Act of 1918 substantially expanded these limitations. Two of the most famous convictions under the Sedition Act of 1918 were those of Eugene Debs and Jacob Abrams. The hysteria surrounding the red scare eventually subsided, and in March 1921, Congress repealed the Sedition Act of 1918. Passed in connection with US involvement in World War I, the Sedition Act of 1918 severely limited free speech rights. The Sedition Act contained several provisions, applicable only when the United States was at war. One provision criminalized the making of false reports with the intention to interfere with US military operations or with US sale of bonds or other financing instruments. A second provision criminalized any action that caused or attempted to cause disloyalty or insubordination in the US military.