Question

Why was Matthew Lyon important figure in American history

Answer 1

Matthew Lyon is an important figure in American history because,
He brawled with one Congressman, and was jailed on charges of violating the Sedition Act, winning re-election to Congress from inside his jail cell. Lyon's trial, conviction, and incarceration boosted his status among the fledgling Democratic-Republican Party as a free-speech martyr.

Answer 2

Lyon represented Vermont in Congress from 1797 to 1801, and represented Kentucky from 1803 to 1811. ... His tenure in Congress was tumultuous. He brawled with one Congressman, and was jailed on charges of violating the Sedition Act, winning re-election to Congress from inside his jail cell.