What caused the freedom of speech to be created?
Asked by: Noemi Frami | Last update: February 18, 2026Score: 4.2/5 (31 votes)
Freedom of speech was created primarily to safeguard democracy by enabling citizens to criticize their government, hold leaders accountable, and discover truth through open debate, stemming from the Founders' experiences with oppressive British rule where dissent was punished and the press controlled. It protects individual autonomy and ensures a government "for, by, and of the people," empowering people to speak out against injustice and demand change without fear of retaliation, as enshrined in the First Amendment.
Why was freedom of speech created?
John Stuart Mill (1806–1873) argued that without human freedom, there could be no progress in science, law, or politics, which, according to Mill, required free discussion of opinion. Mill's On Liberty, published in 1859, became a classic defence of the right to freedom of expression.
What was the cause of the Free Speech Movement?
The FSM may have been instigated by the arrest of a single student, but the heart of the movement reflected larger national and international issues of the time: war, racism, and curbs on free speech.
Who helped develop the idea of freedom of speech?
James Madison. James Madison (1751–1836), the chief author of the Bill of Rights and thus of the First Amendment, was the foremost champion of religious liberty, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press in the Founding Era.
What are the sources of freedom of speech?
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects "the freedom of speech," but that protection is not absolute. The Free Speech Clause principally constrains government regulation of private speech.
Freedom of Speech: Crash Course Government and Politics #25
Did the founding fathers put God in the Constitution?
No, the U.S. Constitution does not explicitly mention God or a supreme being in its main text, a deliberate choice by the Founding Fathers to establish a secular government and protect religious freedom, though it does contain a date reference ("Year of our Lord") and the First Amendment prevents religious tests for office, reflecting a consensus on separation of church and state despite their personal faith.
What free speech isn't allowed?
While the First Amendment protects a broad range of expression, it doesn't shield speech that incites imminent lawless action, constitutes true threats, is obscene, defames others (libel/slander), or is integral to criminal conduct like fraud, with specific categories like child pornography and certain commercial speech also excluded. Even offensive or unpopular speech, including hate speech, is generally protected, but speech that crosses into these unprotected areas can face legal limits, often clarified by courts.
Who is responsible for freedom of speech?
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.
Who created the 21st amendment?
On February 20, 1933, Congress both initiated the Blane Act and proposed a new amendment to end prohibition. For the first time in the history of the Constitution, the new amendment was sent out for ratification by state ratifying conventions, as opposed to the more frequent method of state legislatures doing so.
Did American colonies invent the idea of free speech?
Most scholars agree that the American political concept of free speech as embodied in the First Amendment originated with the British. However, in the 17th and 18th centuries the intellectual heritage of free speech was diverse.
What are the 5 limits to freedom of speech?
Five key limits to freedom of speech include incitement to violence, true threats, defamation, obscenity/child pornography, and speech integral to criminal conduct, all of which are generally unprotected because they cause direct harm, incite immediate illegal acts, or involve other serious offenses like fraud or perjury, despite free speech protecting even offensive or unpopular ideas.
What did the founding fathers say about free speech?
“For if Men are to be precluded from offering their Sentiments on a matter, which may involve the most serious and alarming consequences, that can invite the consideration of Mankind, reason is of no use to us; the freedom of Speech may be taken away, and, dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep, to the Slaughter.”
Which country had freedom of speech first?
abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.” Freedom of expression became a measure of progress during the Enlightenment. In Europe, Sweden was the first country to abolish censorship in 1766 (although restored soon after). Denmark and Norway did so in 1770.
What was the original intention?
Original intent asserts that the meaning sought is that intended by the Constitution's enactors. Original public meaning asserts that the meaning sought is that revealed by the text as reasonably understood by a well-informed reader at the time of the provision's enactment.
Why did the Free Speech Movement start?
Click image for source and more photos. On Oct. 1, 1964, the Free Speech Movement was launched at UC–Berkeley when mathematics grad student Jack Weinberg was arrested for setting up a CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) information table in front of Sproul Hall, the administration building.
Why did the founding fathers choose to make freedom of speech the First Amendment?
They believed that freedom to think as you will and to speak as you think are means indispensable to the discovery and spread of political truth; that without free speech and assembly discussion would be futile; that with them, discussion affords ordinarily adequate protection against the dissemination of noxious ...
Why did the U.S. start the prohibition?
The temperance movement, rooted in America's Protestant churches, first urged moderation, then encouraged drinkers to help each other to resist temptation, and ultimately demanded that local, state, and national governments prohibit alcohol outright. A review of alcohol's influence in America.
When did they change the legal age from 18 to 21?
The legal drinking age in the U.S. changed from primarily 18 (after some states lowered it in the 1970s) to 21 due to the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, which pressured states to raise their age by threatening to withhold federal highway funds, with all states complying by 1988.
What is the historical context behind the First Amendment?
Informed by the Magna Carta (1215), English Bill of Rights (1689), and Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776), and dedicated to religious freedom, tolerance, and disestablishment from government, Madison crafted an amendment to the Constitution that encapsulated fundamental freedoms and values that would define the ...
Who is the strongest supporter of freedom of speech and expression?
Scandinavian countries (Norway, Denmark, and Sweden) and two democratic backsliders (Hungary and Venezuela) show the highest levels of support for free speech. Muslim-majority countries and the Global South show the lowest levels of support.
What are the two exceptions to freedom of speech?
Two major categories of speech not protected by freedom of speech are incitement to imminent lawless action (speech intended to cause immediate illegal acts) and true threats (serious expressions of intent to commit violence), with other key exceptions including defamation, obscenity, fraud, and child pornography.
Where does our right to freedom of speech come from?
The First Amendment states, in relevant part, that: “Congress shall make no law... abridging freedom of speech.”
Is the f word protected speech?
Yes, the "f-word" (profanity/obscenity) is generally protected speech under the First Amendment, as the Supreme Court has ruled that offensive or vulgar words alone aren't enough to restrict speech; however, it loses protection if it crosses into unprotected categories like "fighting words" (direct personal insults likely to provoke violence), true threats, or is part of obscenity, though courts have narrowed these exceptions significantly, as seen in the Brandi Levy case where school-related online swearing was protected.
What country doesn't allow free speech?
According to Amnesty International, freedom of expression is significantly limited in China and North Korea.
Is it illegal to make racist comments?
In the U.S., racist comments are generally protected speech under the First Amendment, even if offensive, but they become illegal when they cross into specific categories like true threats, incitement to imminent violence, defamation, or fighting words, or when they become part of discriminatory actions in employment, housing, or public services, leading to civil rights violations or hate crimes. So, while yelling slurs on the street usually isn't a crime, using racist language to deny someone a job or threatening violence is illegal.