Sedition Act

United States [1918]

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 13, 2026

Quick Summary

The Sedition Act of 1918 was a United States federal law that prohibited the use of "disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language" about the United States government, its flag, or its armed forces. This act was enacted during World War I to suppress dissent and opposition to the war effort.12

The Sedition Act was an amendment to the Espionage Act of 1917 and was criticized for infringing upon freedom of speech and the press. It led to the prosecution and conviction of numerous individuals who spoke out against the war or the government. The act expired in 1920, but its legacy continues to be debated in the context of civil liberties and national security.13

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Eugene V. Debs
…was convicted of sedition in 1918, was restored only posthumously in 1976. Debs’s years of living in harsh prison conditions adversely affected his health, and he spent long periods of the remainder of his life in a sanatorium in suburban Chicago.
Read More
…was convicted of sedition in 1918, was restored only posthumously in 1976. Debs’s years of living in harsh prison conditions adversely affected his health, and he spent long periods of the remainder of his life in a sanatorium in suburban Chicago.
Read More

A. Mitchell Palmer
…Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918 as a basis for launching an unprecedented campaign against political radicals, suspected dissidents, left-wing organizations, and aliens. He deported the self-avowed anarchist Emma Goldman and others suspected of subversive activities. On January 2, 1920, government agents in 33 cities rounded up…
Read More
…Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918 as a basis for launching an unprecedented campaign against political radicals, suspected dissidents, left-wing organizations, and aliens. He deported the self-avowed anarchist Emma Goldman and others suspected of subversive activities. On January 2, 1920, government agents in 33 cities rounded up…
Read More