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Since 1995, the American Studies Crossroads Project has provided a comprehensive and integrated platform for pedagogical, scholarly, and institutional information for the international American Studies community.

As Crossroads celebrates more than a decade of online innovation and collaboration, the Crossroads team has redesigned the site to better reflect the range of resources and information available to students and educators of American Studies. We hope you enjoy the changes.

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The U.S.A. Patriot Act, Nationalism, and Intellectual Freedom

In response to the September 11 attacks and as a part of the U.S. government's "War on Terror," Congress passed the U.S.A. PATRIOT Act in October 2001. The act has dramatically expanded the surveillance and imprisonment powers of the federal government. In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, the act was passed through Congress within six weeks, with very little opportunity for informed debate. However, passage of the act has led to an intense national debate over the new restrictions on intellectual freedom, civil liberties, and human rights—all in the name of national security.

The name of the act is an acronym standing for "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism."