Transcript England-U.S. free speech timeline presentation

Timeline Comparison
1215
1450
1520
1553
1557
1689
1704
1774
1832
1842
1868
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England
Magna Carta
Printing Press
System of Licensing
Mary’s Censorship
Copyright Laws
English Bill of Rights
Sedition Trials
Statute of Anne
Reform Act
Doctrines of Christianity
Regina v. Hicklin
United States
1788-Constitution in effect
1790 – Copyright Act
1791 – Ratification of Bill of Rights
1798 – Alien and Sedition Acts
1837 – Telegraph
1842 – Congress Anti-obscenity Law
1875 – Telephone
1896 – Rosen (sexual expression)
1912 – Radio Act (licensing)
Freedom of Speech
Not Yet
Magna Carta / Constitution
Both documents did not give freedom of
speech or religion.
Technology –> Restrictions
England
1450 – Printing Press
United States
1837 – Telegraph
1875 – Telephone
Licensing was established after these
technological advances… 1520, 1912.
Copyright
England
1557 – First copyright law.
Rights to the Company of Stationers.
1774 – Statute of Anne
Rights given to the author
United States
1790 – Copyright Act
Rights to the author/creator for fourteen years.
Obscenity
England
1727 – Conviction for obscenity
1868 – Regina v. Hicklin
United States
1815 – Sharpless
First American Prosecution
1842 – Congress Anti-obscenity Law
1896 – Rosen Sexual Expression
Religion and Law
Both England and the United States believed
law had some bases in religion.
England –
“a concern of the secular authorities if it reflects
of religion” pg. 10
United States –
“principles of natural religion are part of
common law” pg.34
Sedition
England
1704 – Sedition Trial
Holt “with and ill opinion of the government,
no government can subsist.”
1832 – Reform
United States
1798 – Alien and Sedition Act