In what ways did the government use the Espionage Act and the Sedition Act to suppress criticism of the war? What were the penalties for violating these Acts?
Who were the major targets of the Alien and Espionage Acts?
Espionage Act: |
Major Targets: |
Incidents:
U.S. Attorney General Alexander Michael Palmer used the Espionage Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918 to prosecute radicals and political dissidents. Assisted by J. Edgar Hoover, head of the FBI, he ordered what became known as the Palmer Raids in January 1920. Thousands of "radicals" were rounded up and jailed for long periods without hearings.