First Amendment

Throughout our schooling, most of us learn that the Founding Fathers were amazing individuals who were concerned with the rights of the people, which is what makes our democracy so grand. What you might not have learned is that the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the Constitution, was actually a way to placate politicians and create a solid union in the infancy stage of the United States.

The United States was created in reaction to the heavy hand of British law on the colonists. The Declaration of Independence set the stage for the new country, with the list of grievances presented to King George. Why would you break up with someone, tell them all the reasons why, and then not do something to guarantee that you wouldn’t find yourself in similar circumstances? Yet, during this “divorce” from Britain, Americans could not agree on how powerful the new central government should be. Hence, fighting ensued amongst the colonies as to the importance of the rights of states versus the power of the central government. Federalists vs. Anti-federalists. Could be a blockbuster film, if done the right way.

Here enters the Bill of Rights. The U.S. Constitution was written in reaction to the failed Articles of Confederation, which did not include a strong central government. The Constitution created a central government, its power divided between three branches. This was written so as to preclude any one person or group of people from gaining too much power. Yet this was not enough for some states, and their politicians would not ratify the Constitution as it was written. So the Bill of Rights were added in 1791. It included rights of individuals, as well as states, which led to all states signing the Constitution into law.

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.” To net, it guarantees freedom of religion, speech, press, the right to assemble, and the right to petition the government.

These rights for individuals have been carefully guarded by the courts, as the First Amendment guarantees freedoms, and the most unifying American ideal is freedom. Interesting to think these freedoms were written to get the deal done, signed, finished.