...1. The First Amendment protects religious freedoms in two different ways. What are the free exercise clause and the establishment clause, and how do they differ from each other? Establishment clause is when there is limits placed on the U.S. Congress preventing it from passing legislation respecting an establishment of religion. So it restricts the government from making their own religion and prohibits government actions that favor one religion over another. Free exercise on the other hand protects citizen’s right to believe and to practice any religion which they choose. 2. How are political views formed? Describe some of the key processes and factors through which individuals become politically socialized. How do external institutions...
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...As part of our nation’s Bill of Rights, the First Amendment passed on September 25, 1789, in efforts to protect our religious freedoms and rights. The First Amendment states, 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. (US Constitution) This freedom established by our fore fathers continues to be important not only to me but to everyone in our society. So, what does the First Amendment guarantee? It helps to protect freedoms concerning religion, expression, assembly, and the right to petition. Our nation’s lawmakers, Congress, cannot promote one religion over another nor restrict an individual’s religious practices. The First Amendment allows for freedom of expression. It does not allow Congress to restrict the press or the rights of individuals to speak freely. It also guarantees the right for people to gather peacefully and to petition their government. The importance of religious freedom has been around a very long time. During our nation’s settlement, the pilgrims sought religious freedom. They wanted to find a place to settle,...
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...typically on amendments one and ten, that the founders believed in the sanctity importance of the individual liberties guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. One issue that was a violation of rights on the citizens was the Kim Davis situation. Davis was an elected county clerk in Kentucky where after the legalization of gay marriage, she refused to sign and give marriage certificates to the gay couples because it went against her religious beliefs. She was arrested for violating the freedom that every individual had for choosing to marry whoever they want after gay marriage become legalized. The government violated her rights to practice her own religion by arresting...
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...Running Head: THE FIRST AMENDMENT [pic] Reflections on the First Amendment NAME University of Phoenix Online United States Constitution – HIS301 Reflections on the First Amendment Judged by the sheer number of cases brought to the Supreme Court for debate, the First Amendment can be considered one of the most controversial amendments in the Bill of Rights. The First Amendment was written to address three fundamental liberties all citizens have: religion, speech and peaceful assembly. On closer inspection, there are six very different ideals melded together into one defining statement. When the U.S. Constitution was signed on Sept. 17, 1787, it did not contain important freedoms that are now outlined in the Bill of Rights, because many of the Framers viewed some of the freedoms as unnecessary. However, after vigorous debate, the Bill of Rights was adopted. The first freedoms guaranteed in this historic document were expressed in 45 words written by James Madison that we have come to know as the First Amendment. The First Amendment states that “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.” Freedom of expression, artistic or otherwise in the United States is governed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution...
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...1st Amendment/Religious Freedom Act The first amendment and religious freedom act allow for accommodations to be made for religious views, beliefs and practices. However, there is hard evidence brought about by the Sherbert V. Verner Supreme Court Case that proves these acts to be somewhat restrictive. Adell Sherbert was not awarded sufficient insurance under the first amendment. She was dedicated to her faith and should be rewarded 1st Amendment/Religious Freedom Act The first amendment and religious freedom act allow for accommodations to be made for religious views, beliefs and practices. However, there is hard evidence brought about by the Sherbert V. Verner Supreme Court Case that proves these acts to be somewhat restrictive. Adell Sherbert was not awarded sufficient...
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...Freedom of Religion, Speech and the Press The first amendment is part of the United States Constitution in a short portion called the United States Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights is one of the high laws of our land. “It guarantees that the United States government can never deprive people in the United States of certain fundamental rights,” according to aclu.org. The first amendment states that “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,” according to nccs.net. This means that us as Americans have the right to...
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...happen if we never had these rights? The first amendment went into effect in the year of 1791, but up until that people did not have the rights to religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition. The first amendment is arguably the most important part of the Bill of Rights due to its meaning, purpose, and lasting impact on the U.S. The first amendment is meaningful and purposeful in many ways. The first amendment states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom...
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...POS 301 Mark Koenig Rights and Freedoms of the First Amendment The United States Constitution gave us the several different rights and freedoms. We as Americans have the right to vote, speak our opinion, and worship freely. The Bill of Rights and Constitution were written over the last several years. The Constitution was written by the founding fathers of this country and is the foundational document of the United States. The First Amendment freedom that regards me the most is religious liberty. The First Amendment guaranteed by the First Amendments of the United States Constitution is the freedom to religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition. (Billings, Roberts, Haynes, Chaltain, Glisson, 2008). Religious liberty gives us the ability to go to church on Sunday or pray at our homes. Freedom of speech is in the Bill of Rights stating that we are allowed to speak out and express our opinions without censorship or restraint. We are also having the right to protest for organize for change and for justice. The freedom of press is the right to write newspapers and allow readers to know your opinion on a subject or topic. The freedom of assembly is the right to freedom of association is recognized as a political right, human right, and civil liberty. The freedom of petition is the request that is made to one that is in authority. Some examples of petitions are collecting signatures and sending them to elected representatives, writing or calling elected representatives, and...
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...Today, many Americans think that the First Amendment says "Separation of Church and State." The Courts and the media will often refer to a ruling as being in violation of the "Separation of Church and State." A recent national poll showed that 69% of Americans believe that the First Amendment says "Separation of Church and State." You may be surprised to learn that these words do not appear in the First Amendment or anywhere else in the Constitution!1 Here is what the First Amendment actually does say. 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. As you can see the First Amendment does not contain the words "Separation of Church and State". The First Amendment gives citizens the Freedom to Worship God without Government interference. Assures that the Government will not establish a State Religion. That people are free to speak their minds without the government arresting them. Granting citizens to publish news that may be critical of the government without fear of arrest or fines, and finely the right of citizens to peacefully gather together or march in rallies or...
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...The first amendment is very crucial to the way we live about the world. It is really important but there is one part that i consider to be more important than any in the first amendment and that is the freedom of religion. It is a great thing that we get to have this freedom and praise what we want because i can proudly say that i am a christian. Religious freedom is a fundamental human right for every person on earth. It has been recognized by international accords and by the Second Vatican Council. But Religious liberty is under attack in many countries around the world. There are persecuted Christians in different countries and do not get the right or chance to praise God. That is why i try to do as much as i can because, some people who...
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...Reflections on the First Amendment HIS/301 January 15, 2015 Paul Betancourt Reflections on the First Amendment The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States protects the freedom of the American people. When asked about the First Amendment, many people would only think of the freedom of speech. However, the amendment reads: 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 (U.S. Constitution, amend. I). Over time, these rights have been challenged in various cases, six of which will be discussed in this paper. The common trend in these cases is that the First Amendment rights may always be tested, but in the end, they hold true in court. The freedom of speech and freedom of the press ensure that Congress cannot pass any laws or other amendments that would later take these rights away from the American people. The idea is that all people should be able to speak freely, and news agencies and reporters should be able to speak the truth, whatever it may be, to the citizens of America (Cornell University Law School, n.d.). However, there are times where saying certain things in certain scenarios could cause grave damage to the country, the U.S. government, or even the American people. In these cases, there have actually been exceptions made...
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...First Amendment Paper Denard Benton HIS/301 Dick Ecott Sep 23, 2011 In this paper I will be discussing three court cases cases concerning the first amendment of the Constitution of the United States. For each of these cases, I will answer three questions about why they were important and how they are relevant to today’s society. The first question I will get into is to what extent the Constitution protects the right to privacy. Why did each case need to be heard and interpreted by the Supreme Court? And how does the Supreme Court’s decision in each case continue to affect the rights of American citizens today? The first topic I will get into is concerning the burning of the United States Flag. In 1990, the case involving the United States v. Eichman, when a man burned a United States flag in political protest. The individual who burned the flag knew he would seriously offend onlookers by doing so. In 1989, congress passed the Flag Protection act. This act criminalizes the conduct of anyone who “knowingly mutilates, defaces, physically defiles, burns, maintains on the floor or ground, or tramples upon” a United States flag, except conduct related to the disposal of a worn or soiled flag. Appelees were prosecuted in district courts for violating this act. Even after this was passed, protestors of the government knowingly burned flags against policies and other beliefs. Some protestors burned the flag just because the act was passed. During these cases, the appellees moved...
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...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.” This was written by James Madison and is the first amendment in the Bill of Rights. Basically, this means that Congress cannot make laws establishing one religion that everyone must follow nor favoring one religion over any others. The government cannot tell people what religion is appropriate or attempt to influence the belief of the citizens. This amendment also guarantees that any American person can speak and/or print what is on his mind without being punished. We also have the right to meet as a group where we chose and we can petition what the government says if we truly believe it is wrong. The first amendment generally the most well known. Most people, at some point, have heard many of the phrases that are used here. This is also what a lot of disagreements are over. The first clause has been a source of much debate. Some people believe that the government should make certain exceptions to religious expression. Other people believe that all religious expressions should be restricted. People interpret laws to mean different things. There have been many judicial proceedings that involve the First Amendment. One really good example is George Daniels v. City of...
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...Bracken Ostler Business Law Paper #1 Mark Holland Freedom of Religion Freedom of religion is an essential part of the Constitution of the United States and is included in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. Freedom of religion involves two important components. The first is the prohibition on the “establishment of religion” by government- the separation of Church and State; and the second, ensures that the government allows for the practice of religion (Marroquin). Many important cases throughout history have also helped to further refine the limits of freedom of religion as laid out in the Constitution. This paper will discuss why freedom of religion was chosen as part of the Constitution. It will also provide the current law pertaining to this important part of the First Amendment. In the original Constitution, religion makes only one direct and obvious appearance that seems to point to a desire of religious freedom. That appearance is in Article 6, at the end of the third clause and states: “No religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” (Mount) This is a statement that is simple and straightforward and applies to all offices in the entire United States, both state and federal. The framers of the Constitution thought that they had constructed a complete and comprehensive document. Many people disagreed. One of the big disagreements from the opposition to the framers was the lack...
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...Hi The articles "Freedom of Speech: Missouri Knights of the Ku Klux Klan v. Kansas City" and "Freedom of Religion: Lyng v. Northwest Indian Cemetery Protective Association" both engage in conflicts pertaining to the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights. "Freedom of Speech: Missouri Knights of the Ku Klux Klan v. Kansas City" is an article about the KKK's attempt to spread their beliefs through a public access cable television channel. Dennis Mahon and Allan Moran, both of the KKK, asked to be broadcasted on air in 1987, and the whole situation led to a major problem. The KKK is known for its killings, prejudice, and cross burnings, and they wanted to be shown on television to further spread their message. The First Amendment states the right to the freedom of speech, but many of the community members had a problem with the whole situation. People with race relations, local leaders, and members of the cable company did not want to grant the KKK the right to appear on air. Black ministers and important politicians were not happy with the KKK's request to voice their opinions. The KKK complied with all of the rules that were presented by the cable company, even when they were told to create a locally produced show and receive training in video production. They happily obeyed the regulations and didn't cause additional problems to what they were soon to face. The cable company studio was located in a neighborhood that was 95% black, and violence was a major concern for the cable...
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