What does the First Amendment say in your own words?

Asked by: Miss Yasmin Kautzer DVM  |  Last update: May 1, 2025
Score: 4.6/5 (5 votes)

“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.”

What is the First Amendment in your own words?

It guarantees freedom of expression by prohibiting Congress from restricting the press or the rights of individuals to speak freely. It also guarantees the right of citizens to assemble peaceably and to petition their government.

What is Amendment 1 in simple terms?

Amendment One to the Constitution was ratified on December 15, 1791. It is most commonly recognized for its protection of the freedom of speech, religion, the press, and making complaints and requests to the government.

What is the 1st Amendment in kid terms?

The First Amendment allows people to believe and practice whatever religion they want. They can also choose not to follow any religion. The government can, however, regulate religious practices such as human sacrifice or illegal drug use.

What best describes the First Amendment?

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects the freedom of speech, religion and the press. It also protects the freedom to peacefully assemble or gather together or associate with a group of people for social, economic, political or religious purposes, as well as the right to protest the government.

First Amendment | Constitution 101

32 related questions found

Why is the First Amendment so important?

Constitutional amendments, such as the First Amendment, create fundamental rights in the people while, at the same time, placing limits on the power of the government. Thus, the First Amendment exists so that the government cannot dictate nor censor the speech of individuals.

What is the 1st Amendment in simple terms quizlet?

What is the first amendment? Guarantees freedom of religion, expression, assembly, and the right to petition.

What are 5 facts about the First Amendment?

The five freedoms it protects: speech, religion, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government. Together, these five guaranteed freedoms make the people of the United States of America the freest in the world.

What is an amendment explained to kids?

change or addition to a law is called an amendment. The word usually refers to a change to the constitution of a government. In the United States there have been 27 amendments to the Constitution.

What is the right to bear arms?

Constitutional Amendments – Amendment 2 – “The Right to Keep and Bear Arms” Amendment Two to the Constitution was ratified on December 15, 1791. It protects the right for Americans to possess weapons for the protection of themselves, their rights, and their property.

What is an example of Amendment 1?

You cannot, for instance, yell “Fire!” in a crowded theater. Freedoms of speech, press, right to assemble peacefully, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances are vital for a functioning democracy.

What is the amendment in simple terms?

An amendment is an addition made to the United States Constitution that defines a citizen's rights or adds a procedural element to the law. Amendments 1-27 include laws that are intended to ensure the rights and freedoms of U.S. citizens.

What does the First Amendment protect and what doesn't?

The First Amendment protects your right to express yourself, but allows the government to restrict when, where, and how you do it. Even in “traditional public forums,” the local and federal government can place reasonable restrictions on the time, place, and manner of your expression in order to minimize disruption.

How free is free speech?

Even though freedom of speech is protected from infringement by the government, the government is still free to restrict speech in certain circumstances. Some of these circumstances include: Obscenity and Indecency – In Alliance for Community Media v.

Why is an amendment important?

Their functional uses include checking the court, promoting democracy, heightening public awareness, pacifying change, and managing difference. Symbolically, amendment rules can be used to express constitutional values.

What are fighting words called?

Chaplinsky decision

These include the lewd and obscene, the profane, the libelous, and the insulting or "fighting" words – those which by their very utterance inflict injury or tend to incite an immediate breach of the peace.

What is the First Amendment explained for kids?

The First Amendment is the most well known and the one that affects everyone every day. It says that people have the right to say whatever they want (as long as it doesn't hurt other people), to gather peacefully in public, and to choose their own religion (or choose not to practice any religion).

What is the First Amendment Short answer?

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.

What is the amendment process short answer?

Congress must call a convention for proposing amendments upon application of the legislatures of two-thirds of the states (i.e., 34 of 50 states). Amendments proposed by Congress or convention become valid only when ratified by the legislatures of, or conventions in, three-fourths of the states (i.e., 38 of 50 states).

Why is the 1st Amendment the most important?

Our First Amendment freedoms make democracy work. All of our liberties flow from the First Amendment. By exercising freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition, Americans have expanded civil rights and worked to create a more just and free society.

Does free speech include hate speech?

In the United States, hate speech receives substantial protection under the First Amendment, based upon the idea that it is not the proper role of the government to attempt to shield individuals from ideas and opinions they find unwelcome, disagreeable, or even deeply offensive.

What is an example of the First Amendment being violated?

Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. (2021) Ruled that school officials violated the First Amendment when it disciplined a cheerleader for an off-campus, vulgar post on Snapchat. Berisha v.

What is the meaning of right to bear arms?

In summary, the right to bear arms generally refers to a person's right to possess weapons. A person does not need to join a militia to receive the Second Amendment's guarantees to keep and bear arms. Instead, it guarantees that people have a right to "possess and carry weapons in case of confrontation."

What is a quick summary of Amendment 1?

The First Amendment of the United States Constitution protects the right to freedom of religion and freedom of expression from government interference.

What type of harassment can be protected by the First Amendment?

Through harassment law, the government is suppressing speech that it believes is harmful and offensive. This speech isn't limited to threats or insults, but includes political statements, religious proselytizing, art, and humor (click for details) -- material that's at the core of the First Amendment's protections.