mar 4, 1861 - Habeas Corpus Suspension Act is Passed

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Passed in response to the outbreak of the Civil War, the act allowed president Lincoln to suspend Habeas Corpus for individuals in the Union as long as the Civil War was being fought. Lincoln would suspent Habeas Corpus in cases involving prisoners of war, espionage, or treachery. This act represents a significant expansion of presidential power, as never before had a president been able to impede on a right guaranteed to all U.S. citizens under the constitution. (Change: president impedes on individual rights for first time in history)

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