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.
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Explore the votes of America's longest-serving Speaker of the House, Sam Rayburn, who presided over key civil rights votes
Explore current and historical political parties, map party control, and learn about polarization.
Explore the votes of Hiram Rhodes Revels, the first African-American man elected to the Senate