UNIT #5

Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

CHAPTER #13

Civil Liberties: Constitutional Freedoms

LESSONS #2-4

Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly and Petition

-The U.S has a long history of religious freedom1. Colonist (Puritans, Quakers)2. Immigrants (Irish Catholics, Jews)

-The 1st Amendment specifically prohibits the establishment of a “national religion”—the Establishment Clause

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Freedom of ReligionUNIT #5

Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

CHAPTER #13

Civil Liberties: Constitutional Freedoms

LESSONS #2-4

Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly and Petition

Is the Government Establishing Religion by…

(Try to determine the conflict pictured below?)

-The U.S has a long history of religious freedom1. Colonist (Puritans, Quakers)2. Immigrants (Irish Catholics, Jews)

-The 1st Amendment specifically prohibits the establishment of a “national religion”—the Establishment Clause

-The 1st Amendment also denies the government the right to limit what citizens believe—the Free Exercise Clause

Page 1

Freedom of ReligionUNIT #5

Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

CHAPTER #13

Civil Liberties: Constitutional Freedoms

LESSONS #2-4

Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly and Petition

-When the Bill of Rights was written, “speech” simply meant the spoken word and “press” meant the printed word

-Now “speech and press” extend to include newspapers, books, movies, radio, cable, television, the internet, symbolic acts, etc

-There are two types of speech according to the S.C.; pure speech & symbolic speech

-The 1st Amendment does not protect:1. Defamation (slander or libel)2. Fighting Words3. Student Speech4. Seditious Speech

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Freedom of Speech and PressUNIT #5

Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

CHAPTER #13

Civil Liberties: Constitutional Freedoms

LESSONS #2-4

Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly and Petition

-The 1st Amendment also allows people to gather in public areas and make their views known to government

-Limits can be placed on these rights in order to ensure public order and safety

-Limits on assembly must be content neutral-The freedom of association is also included

in the 1st Amendment, it protects the right for people to form groups and organization with common interestsPage 3

Freedom of Assembly and Petition

UNIT #5

Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

CHAPTER #13

Civil Liberties: Constitutional Freedoms

LESSONS #2-4

Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly and Petition

(continued)

-The government is not allowed to forbid the press to express certain ideas