The First Amendment in the U.S. Constitution
“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.’’
The first-ever amendment protects the five core amendments: religion, speech, the press, assembly, and right to petition the government. It restricts the government from violating these rights as they are the basic freedoms. To further break down these rights:
Freedom of Religion - Stops the government from establishing a religion or prevent an individual from practicing their religion
Freedom of Speech - You have the right to express your opinion without government censorship
Freedom of the Press - The media can publish opinions or news without government interference or control
Freedom of Assembly - The right to gather together peacefully, ex: protest or sharing ideas
Freedom to Petition - The right to ask the government to address an issue, such as a grievance or change
History
The first amendment is part of the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights, drafted largely by James Madison, and was ratified in 1791. During this time period, the colonists were tired of the tyranny of Britain violating their basic human rights, understood from the Enlightenment. This promoted truth in the new nation as citizens were able to take the government accountable.
Modern Day
Evidently, the first amendment is very much present in our current society. We as people are able to take part in any religion we would like. For instance, to cover the rest of the freedoms, during the ice raids, many exercised their freedom of assembly as they came together to peacefully protest, for the most part. Through the media and talking with our peers we were able to express our thoughts about the situation, and in interviews of the current members in government, they are able to ask questions about the situations.
If you want to read more about the first amendment in the U.S. Constitution here are some links! :
https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-1/
https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/first_amendment
Thank you so much for reading and feel free to leave feedback!
Work Cited : U.S. Constitution
