Under the direction of President John Adams, the Congress passed the Sedition Act of 1798, which made it a criminal offence to publish statements critical of the federal government. The first individual to be tried under the law was Rep. Matthew Lyon, who unsurprisingly had voted against its passage. Lyon was re-elected from jail.
Explore current and historical political parties, map party control, and learn about polarization.
Use the 'tabular view' to quickly check NOMINATE scores
Explore the votes of Hattie Wyatt Caraway, the first woman elected to the Senate
Learn the story of a place through the people that represented it through history
