What did the Comstock Act do?

The Comstock Act of 1873 made it illegal to send “obscene, lewd or lascivious,” “immoral,” or “indecent” publications through the mail. The law also made it a misdemeanor for anyone to sell, give away, or possess an obscene book, pamphlet, picture, drawing, or advertisement.

Who created the Comstock Act?

Anthony Comstock
In the middle of such local reform efforts in New York City was twenty-nine-year-old Anthony Comstock, head of the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice (NYSSV). Established in 1872, the NYSSV was financed by some of the wealthiest and most influential New York philanthropists.

Why was the Comstock Act passed?

The Comstock Law of 1873 was enacted in order to restrict any individual from selling or sending what were considered obscenities, including offering any information regarding contraception and abortion.

Is the Comstock Act still in effect?

But the Comstock Act has never been repealed; it is still on the books. And so, as a consequence, this has been thrown up on the Internet and could be used to bring people into a criminal conviction or arraignment if they decided to discuss anything about the big A word on the Internet.

Why was birth control illegal in the US?

In 1965, the US Supreme Court provided a major victory for proponents of birth control in Griswold v. Connecticut. The court held a Connecticut law prohibiting the use of contraceptives by a married couple unconstitutional because it violated the right to privacy implicit in the US Constitution.

What was the impact of the Comstock Act of 1872?

The statute defined contraceptives as obscene and illicit, making it a federal offense to disseminate birth control through the mail or across state lines. This statute was the first of its kind in the Western world, but at the time, the American public did not pay much attention to the new law.

What is the woman rebel?

A “monthly paper of militant thought” published by Margaret Sanger in 1914 which dealt with issues of women’s rights, birth control, and militant labor.

When was birth control legal for unmarried?

1972 The Supreme Court in Eisenstadt v. Baird legalizes birth control for unmarried people.

What was the impact of the Comstock Act of 1872 quizlet?

The Comstock Act, 17 Stat. 598, enacted March 3, 1873, was a United States federal law which amended the Post Office Act[1] and made it illegal to send any “obscene, lewd, and/or lascivious” materials through the mail, including contraceptive devices and information.

When did birth control illegal?

In 1965, the Supreme Court ruled in Griswold v. Connecticut that it was unconstitutional for the government to prohibit married couples from using birth control. Also in 1965, 26 states prohibited birth control for unmarried women.

Did they have birth control in the 1920s?

By the 1920s, the U.S. birth rate dropped by half — statistical evidence that the explosion of condom sales and a more modern approach to the rhythm method were in widespread use.

What was the purpose of the Comstock laws?

The Comstock Laws were a set of federal acts passed by the United States Congress under the Grant administration along with related state laws. The “parent” act (Sect. 211) was passed on March 3, 1873, as the Act for the “Suppression of Trade in, and Circulation of, Obscene Literature and Articles of Immoral Use”.

When did Anthony Comstock pass the Comstock Act?

Comstock was certain that the availability of contraceptives alone promoted lust and lewdness. In 1872 Comstock set off for Washington with an anti-obscenity bill, including a ban on contraceptives, that he had drafted himself. On March 3, 1873, Congress passed the new law, later known as the Comstock Act.

What was the petition to repeal the Comstock Act?

In 1878 the National Liberal League and the National Defense Association presented Congress with a petition signed by more than 50,000 people requesting repeal of the Comstock Act.

What did Anthony Comstock’s chastity law make illegal?

The statute defined contraceptives as obscene and illicit, making it a federal offense to disseminate birth control through the mail or across state lines. This statute was the first of its kind in the Western world, but at the time, the American public did not pay much attention to the new law.