First Amendment Rights 1 The Five Freedoms FortyFive

First Amendment Rights 1 The Five Freedoms

Forty-Five Important Words The First Amendment “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. ” 2

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What does the 1 st amendment prohibit Congress from doing concerning religion? • Congress cannot establish an official religion in the United States. • The Establishment Clause • Guarantees Americans the right to practice their faith as they wish. • Free-Exercise Clause • They may not favor one religion over another or treat people differently because of their personal beliefs. 4

Freedom of Speech • Free speech is the liberty to speak and express one’s opinions. • It is the right to express ideas, information, opinions, etc. with very limited government restrictions. 5

What types of communication are protected under freedom of speech? • Types of Free Speech protected under the Constitution: • Face to face • Internet communication • Art • Music • Clothing • Free speech includes the right to criticize public officials, politicians, religious leaders, and public and corporate policies. Without this right a democratic nation could not survive. 6

Free Press • Protections for Free Press • Books • Newspapers • Magazines • Radio • Television • Internet • How does freedom of press limit the government? • The government cannot practice censorship. • It cannot ban printed materials or films merely because they contain alarming or offensive ideas 7

Free Press • The press is often called “the fourth branch of government. ” It helps to keep the other three branches in check. • Without a free press, this would not be possible, and the democratic conditions which we are used to, and enjoy in the United States, would not exist. 8

Freedom of Assembly • What rights are covered by the freedom of assembly? • Protects our right to gather in groups for any reason, so long as the assemblies are peaceful. • They can make rules about when and where, but cannot ban them. • We also have the right to form and join social clubs, political parties, and labor unions. 9

Freedom of Assembly • What would life without Freedom of Assembly look like? • People would not be allowed to peacefully gather in large groups without permission • It would be harder to protest opinions and use the other freedoms guaranteed in the first amendment 10

Freedom to Petition • What does freedom of petition allow the citizens to do? • The right to express one’s idea to the government in a formal document called a petition. 11

Life Without Freedom of Petition • What would happen if we lost the right to petition: • People could be penalized for political views and beliefs. • People would be unable to communicate with their senators and congressmen 12

Limits on Free Speech • Formal Limits on Free Speech: • You do not have the freedom to provoke a riot • You cannot speak or write in a way that leads immediately to criminal activities or efforts to overthrow the government by force • You may not spread lies that harm a person’s reputation • You may not interfere with the rights of others 13

Defaming Through Free Speech • What is the difference between Libel and Slander? • Slander and libel are ways to bring disrepute or defamation of a person. • While slander refers to making use of spoken words to malign a person, libel refers to making use of written words. • This distinction today stands blurred because of the influence of electronic media. 14