Comstock laws

Comstock Laws

Comstock Laws (/kɒmstɒk lɔːz/) were a set of federal acts passed by the United States Congress in 1873 pertaining to the distribution of obscene, lewd, or lascivious material. Named after its chief proponent, Anthony Comstock, these laws were designed to suppress the circulation of such materials through the mail or across state lines.

Etymology

The term "Comstock Laws" is derived from Anthony Comstock, a social reformer and moral crusader who was instrumental in the passage of these laws. Comstock was a prominent figure in the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice, an institution dedicated to supervising the morality of the public.

Related Terms

Anthony Comstock: The man after whom the Comstock Laws are named. He was a dedicated social reformer and moral crusader.
Obscenity: A legal term that applies to anything offensive to morals or decency.
Lewd: A term referring to something that is sexually unchaste or licentious.
Lascivious: A term referring to something that is inclined to lust, lewd, or lecherous.
United States Congress: The bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
New York Society for the Suppression of Vice: An institution that aimed to supervise the morality of the public.