Civil Liberties Timeline

Civil Liberties in Wartime

Hollywood Scrutinized for Communist Ties

Pro's:

Con's:

After attack "War on Terror' Declared

Alien and Sedition Acts Become Law

Civil liberties under the Iraq war

Hundreds Convicted Under Espionage & Sedation Act

• During the Iraq war, papers were found that intailed secret arrests, increased spying, search and seizure, and even taking away American’s citizenship.

• The goverment also restricted and monitored what was said on televison and radio so no unpatriotic propagnda was being released.

• The people that were effected by this were mainly Americans from the Middle East, because they were looked upon as terrorists, and had their rights restricted because of it.

• Terrorist associated with the AL-Qaeda network hijack four airplanes, crashing one into the pentagon and two into the world trade center in New York City.

• A fourth plane crashes in a field in PA., in all more than 2,700 are killed. Later president George W. Bush declared a "war on terror."

• Congress swiftly passes the U.S.A patriot Act" to capture the individual responsible for the 9/11 attacks."

• President George W. Bush signs a military order that authorizes the gov. to detain non citizens suspected of terrorism and try them before military tribunals.

• As the Cold war begins, the House UnAmerican Activities Committee investigates communist involvement in various professions.

• At the hearing around ten witnesses were held in contempt for not answering questions, they were later sentenced and inprisoned.

• In 1951-54 Sen. McCarthy lead investigations in the entertainment industry, and hundreds were subpoenaed and questioned.

• Those who refused to testify were "blacklisted" and denied jobs.

• On the brink of war with France, federalists fear that immigrants are sympathetic to France.

• As a result congress passed laws to raise citizenship from 5 to 14 years.

• They also authorized the president to deport aliens, and permit their arrest, imprisonment, and deportation during wartime.

• The Sedation Act Makes it a crime for citizens to "print, utter, or publish any scandalous or malicious writing."

• The people that were effected were immagrats that came to America.

• The Espionage Act targets those who refuse to serve in the military during a draft, this causes others to refuse their service or reveal information about the national defense.

• The Supreme court upholds the convictions of Charles Schenck for conspiracy to violate the Espionage act, he attempted to distribute anti war leaflets to U. S. servicemen.

• After WW1 labor unrest sparks unease in the nation. The Russian revolution sparked fears of a workers revolution, as a "red scare" sweeps the nation.

• Palmer fears communist uprising so he created the General Intelligence department, after two months he arrested thousands of suspected communists.

• People lost respect in the government

• When freedom of speech is taken away or resticted to a point people become frusterated and violent

• Protections of the constituion are being violated

• Protestes can occur, that could become violent

• When it xcame to a male citizen, they didnt have much of a chioce whether they wanted to join the military or not.

1941-43

2004-08

1965-71

1861

• When peole paid taxes it helped paid for the war

• Drafted a big army

• It made our country feel safe

• It kept people from saying negative things about the government and caused less drama and conflict

• Kept people under control

1790

2015

1947

1917-20

1798

2001

Restriction on the Japanese

Government Crash over Detainees

Lincoln Suspends Writ of

Habeas Corpus

Limits on Symbolic Speech Right &

Newspapers win Pentagon papers case

• The federal courts have jurisdiction to hear habeas corpus petitions filed by foreign detainees.

• After Congress passes the Military Commissions Act to move jurisdiction, the court strikes down that this is unconstitutional.

• Japanese planes attacked the military base, Pearl Harbor, killing about 2,000 Americans. The Next day President Roosevelt declare war on Japan.

• The reparations on Japan begin with curfews, and arrests. Internment camps are enforced, and around 120,000 Japanese-Americans were forced to give up their homes and bus

• Citing national security, President Roosevelt issued two executive orders, he authorized internment of japanese descent and designates "military areas" across eight states. This affected more than 120,000 people of Japanese descent.

• In the Hirabayashi vs. The United States, the supreme court says, laws that require Japanese Americans to obey curfews and live in restricted areas do not violate their Fifth Amendment right.

• In the Korematsu vs. The United States, the court says post-Pearl Harbor restrictive measures are justified.

• The Supreme court convicted O'Brian for burning his draft card in order to protest the War.

• The court admits the law against the destroying draft a draft card does limit free speech, but serves an important government interest.

• The New York Times and Washington Post obtained secret defense documents that reviled U.S. actions in the Vietnam War.

• The government gets temporary restraining orders to halt publication, but later the Supreme Court ruled this was against the first amendment.

• The threat by Confederate spies forced Abraham Lincoln to suspend the writ of habeas corpus in Maryland.

• The next year Lincoln suspends habeas corpus for every states.

• The court ruled that only the Supreme court could suspend habeas corpus, although Lincoln ignored them.