Questions about the first amendment to the United States Constitution.
The first amendment to the United States Constitution is described below:
Amendment I
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.
In contemporary English, this amendment means:
- Congress cannot make a law that establishes (favors), or prohibits any religion.
- Congress cannot make a law limiting most forms of free speech or press.
- Congress cannot make a law limiting peaceful assembly, or the right to petition the government for grievances.
Relevant Case Law
There are numerous court cases related to the first amendment. A large, but not exhaustive, list of some notorious cases can be found here.
