The First Amendment 

  Freedom of Religion, Speech, and the Press

•          Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

 Summarize the amendment in 3 sentences or less

•        Essentially, over the history we have learned that religion played a big role in the lives of Europeans and colonists. These people wanted to establish the rights of all religions to be practiced. Same goes for what people can say and right, everyone has a voice.

Prepare a 'cheat sheet' describing the purpose and effects of the amendment

Define any vocabulary terms (be ready to answer questions about any words or phrases you use!)

•          “to petition government for redress of grievances” is the right to make a complaint to, or seek the assistance of, one's government, without fear of punishment or retaliations. 

 This amendment provides five major freedoms:

o   Religion – intolerance of different beliefs is what drove most colonists to leave their homeland in the first place. This amendment prohibited the establishment of an official religion in the united states which safeguarded the freedom for Americans to practice their faith as they wished to. One religion could not be favored over others, everyone is to have equality.

o   Speech – in many countries, if individuals dare voice their opinions and thoughts, they will be punished by law. Even in private conversations. The first amendment ensures that people have the freedom to voice what is on their minds with no worry of reprimands by the government.

o   Press – just like our freedom of speech, we have the right to express ourselves though writings. This goes for local newspapers, magazines, online articles. Essentially, this provides the exposure of many varying viewpoints on the American people. The government cannot not control what we see and hear, we have the right to know the truth and even touchy/offensive information about what is going on around us.

o   Assembly – this protects our right to gather as groups for rallies, meetings, parades, and celebration if these assemblies are peaceful. We cannot be banned from these gathering but the government can make rules about when and where these gatherings take place. This protects our rights to be a part of any social/private groups we wish to participate in.

o   Petition of government – a petition is simply a request. This gives us the right to express ourselves to the government. Big or small, if enough people express the same point of view, government leaders may take action.

What is the historical background of this amendment (why was it made?)

•        The founders of America believed that the safety and well being of Americans was crucial for this new born country. It was an important purpose of the government to protect these rights of the people. This amendment guarantees people the freedom to think and act as they wish with no interference or unfair treatment from the government. This amendment is the foundation of the democracy we hold in this country, everyone one has the freedom to be who they want to be.

What does this amendment mean today?

•         This amendment still holds true to its original origins. It still means people are equal, have the same opportunities, and cannot be discriminated against for their beliefs and ideas.
•         Limitations on the First amendment – this amendment does not give people the right to put our people or government into danger. These liberties are to be used responsibly. You are not to interfere with the rights of others or lie.  
• Slander and libel is not permitted.

Examples of current issues involving this amendment.

•          1965 – Mary Beth Tinker – her and other students wore black armbands in mourning for those lost in the Vietnam war. They were suspended from school but when the case was brought to the Supreme Court, it was ruled that they were expressing their freedoms under the first amendment and that the school was violating these rights.
•          1968 – Matthew Fraser – when on stage promoting a fellow student for student council, he used many sexual innuendos and obscene gestures. This cased students to retaliate and he later admitted to these acts. He was then banned from speaking at graduation and later sued the school for violating his first amendment rights.