THE FIRST AMENDMENT

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Class Activity: Quiz

Which of the specific rights guaranteed by the First Amendment can you name?

In the U.S. is it legal to burn the flag as a means of political protest?

Can a public university censor a student newspaper?

What does it mean to be “free”? What does it mean to “have rights”?

Six Big Ideas: Constitution

The Six Big Ideas are:

limited government republicanism checks and balances federalism separation of powers popular sovereignty

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-QUESTION:

What are the five basic freedoms that are listed in the 1st Amendment?

What are civil liberties?

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What are civil liberties? The freedoms we have to think and

act without government interference or fear of unfair treatment

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Facts

If you didn’t know the answers to the previous questions you are not alone!

Only 17% of Americans could name all five freedoms guaranteed in the First Amendment.

Only 25% of students knew it was legal to burn the flag in protest.

As far as censoring a student newspaper at a public university, it is against the law.

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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.”

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Question:

What five basic freedoms does the 1st Amendment protect?

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What does the 1st amendment prohibit Congress from doing concerning religion? Congress cannot establish an official

religion in the United States The Establishment Clause

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What else does it protect concerning religion? 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

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Students & Religion

As students, it’s important to know your religious rights in school.

1. You are free to pray alone or in groups, as long as the activity is not disruptive and does not infringe upon the rights of others.

2. As long as it is not disruptive, disrespectful of the rights of other students, and does not pressure or coerce others, you can exercise your faith.

3. Schools cannot organize religious activities. This includes making students pray.

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REMEMBER:

The government cannot force you to believe in any religion. Everybody has the right to practice the faith they believe in, when and where they want to. Thanks for the First Amendment, we are all guaranteed the freedom of religion.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS!!!!!!

Class Activity

Write a paragraph explaining WHY freedom of religion is an important FIRST AMENDMENT

right TO YOU

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Class Activity

Write a few sentences for each of the following: WHY WOULD American 1st Amendment FREEDOM OF RELIGION be important…1. For a very religious grandmother?2. For a somewhat religious family?3. For a Hindu ?4. For an atheist?5. For someone who changes religions?

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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.

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What types of communications are protected under freedom of speech? Face to face Internet communication Art Music Clothing

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Think…

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.

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Name some of the limits to freedom of speech. Do not have the freedom to provoke a

riot Cannot speak or write in a way that

leads immediately to criminal activities or efforts to overthrow the government by force

May not spread lies that harm a person’s reputation

May not interfere with the rights of others

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11. What are the two ways someone can spread lies about someone else?

Slander = spreading spoken lies Libel = printed lies

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Meaning?

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it". Commonly attributed to Voltaire

Class Activity

Write a PARAGRAPH explaining why FREEDOM OF SPEECH is important to a

DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY, and a second paragraph explaining why freedom of speech is important

TO YOU:

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Freedom of the Press

What does press and media include?

Books Newspapers Magazines Radio Television Internet

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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

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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 we enjoy in the United States, would not exist.

Class Activity

Write a “letter to the Editor” expressing

YOUR OPINION on some subject important to you.

I will choose some of these (anonymously) to READ and which

we can DISCUSS in class

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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.

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Life without Freedom of Assembly

People would not be allowed to peacefully gather in large groups without permission

It would be It would be harder to protest harder to protest opinions and use opinions and use the other the other freedoms freedoms guaranteed in the guaranteed in the first amendmentfirst amendment

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9. What does freedom of petition allow the citizens to do?

The right to express one’s idea to the government. Petition = formal document

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Life Without Freedom of Petition

People could be penalized for political views and beliefs.

People would People would be unable to be unable to communicate communicate with their with their senators and senators and congressmencongressmen

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Harry S. Truman, 1950“In a free country we punish men

for crimes they commit but never for the opinions they have.”

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Although we have many individual freedoms,

whose rights come first? The rights of the community / society

Otherwise, the society would break apart – “My right to swing my fist ends where your nose begins”