Degree Type
Honors Capstone Project
Date of Submission
Spring 5-1-2005
Capstone Advisor
Keith Bybee
Honors Reader
Michael Barkun
Capstone Major
Political Science
Capstone College
Citizenship and Public Affairs
Audio/Visual Component
no
Capstone Prize Winner
no
Won Capstone Funding
no
Honors Categories
Social Sciences
Subject Categories
American Politics | Other Political Science | Political Science
Abstract
This thesis is meant to accomplish the task of comparing and contrasting the different aspects of the Patriot Act and the Alien and Sedition Acts in the hope that, in the process, something can be learned about the future of the Patriot Act.
The first chapter of the thesis consists of an analysis of the controversial sections of the Patriot Act. Moreover, the debate over the Act is introduced and dissected. The last section of the chapter discusses the importance of studying similar national security legislation in American history – such as the Alien and Sedition Acts – in order to overcome some of the secrecy surrounding the Patriot Act that prevents us from fully understanding what effect the Act has had and will continue to have on Americans.
Chapter 2 begins by introducing the topic of the Alien and Sedition Acts. The sections of the Acts are then analyzed and discussed in detail. Then, in the most substantial and important section of the thesis, the Alien and Sedition Acts are compared to the Patriot Act in the following context: sociopolitical context; debate; and application.
The third and final chapter of the thesis attempts to tie together all of the information presented in the first two chapters and make a statement about where the Patriot Act may be headed based on the fate of the Alien and Sedition Acts.
Recommended Citation
Wicclair, David, "The USA PATRIOT Act and the Alien and Sedition Acts A Comparative Analysis" (2005). Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All. 696.
https://surface.syr.edu/honors_capstone/696
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