The espionage and sedition acts affected freedom of speech because they

The Espionage and Sedition Acts were issued under American President Woodow Wilson around 1917 and 1918 making a crime any interference with military operations and also prohibiting several forms of speech considered unpatriotic, seditious and disloyal to USA; this affected freedom of speech due it allowed the government to censor any idea, proposition or argument that questioned authority or challenged the government itself.