my ruminations on U. S. history, sparked by the Alien and Sedition Act

Geof Stone is guest-blogging on Lessig's blog this week. I was just able to read his latest entry on The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798. It is quite enlightening.

I vaguely remember covering this in my AP U. S. History class junior year, but I should admit I have a very selective memory as far as early U. S. History goes. I'm very vague on details until after the Civil War. I could tell you about Molly Bucket and Abigail Adams, but the men? Eh. I know Patrick Henry said, “Give me liberty, or give me death!”, and that is mainly because I wrote a report on him in grade school. I wrote a report on Thomas Jefferson in high school, so I remember that he brought ice cream back to the States, spent a lot of time in France, and had illegitimate children with a slave. What is typically considered “American history” just doesn't interest me. Now, the Triangle shirtwaist factory fire, Margaret Sanger, Sacagawea, and other people and events on the fringe of U. S. History - they interest me.

Anyway, I was glad to read more about the Alien and Sedition Acts and the way the politicians used it, attempting to silence dissent from other political parties. Very interesting.