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 freedom 1. Colonist (Puritans, Quakers) 2. Immigrants (Irish Catholics, Jews) -The 1 st Amendment specifically prohibits the establishment of a “ national religion ”— the Establishment Clause Page 1 Freedom of Religion UNIT #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 freedom 1. Colonist (Puritans, Quakers) 2. Immigrants (Irish Catholics, Jews) -The 1 st Amendment specifically prohibits the establishment of a “ national religion ”— the Establishment Clause -The 1 st Amendment also denies the government the right to limit what citizens believe — the Free Exercise Clause Page 1 Freedom of Religion UNIT #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 1 st Amendment does not protect: 1. Defamation (slander or libel) 2. Fighting Words 3. Student Speech 4. Seditious Speech Page 2 Freedom of Speech and Press 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 1 st 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 1 st Amendment, it protects the right for people to form groups and organization with common interests Page 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