Assess the record of the U.S. Supreme Court on civil liberties during World War I. a. A majority of the justices agreed that the
Espionage Act under the Wilson administration constituted a "clear and present danger" to American freedom. b. The majority of Supreme Court justices were ready to strike down federal infringements of free speech, but the slow appeals process prevented that opportunity. c. The Supreme Court had largely upheld government restrictions on First Amendment rights during the war. d. The Court’s failed efforts at restoring constitutional protections for free speech during the war propelled Americans into activism during the 1920s. e. The Court made a strong push for civil liberties, but with the explicit intent to exclude African-Americans.
During World war I congress passed a espionage act which prohibited individuals from being disloyal to the Wilson administration to be drafted for the war. Some people dissented on this act because it placed undue restrictions on individual liberties. However, after the war, the supreme court upheld the government's restrictions on individual liberties on the grounds that the war posed a clear danger to national security. Thus, the supreme court upheld sentencing on people who were convicted of protesting against these policies during the war.
