The document discusses the five basic freedoms protected by the 1st Amendment: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom to petition the government. It provides examples of these freedoms in action and limitations to freedom of speech, such as not being allowed to provoke violence or spread lies that harm others. Overall, the document aims to educate about civil liberties and 1st Amendment rights in the United States.

1. -What are the five basic freedoms
that are listed in the 1st
Amendment?
-Then write a small paragraph
about a memorable moment
where you expressed one of these
rights, or one of these rights was
denied to you.
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2. First Amendment Rights
The Five Freedoms
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3. 1. What are civil liberties?
 The freedoms we have to think and act
without government interference or fear
of unfair treatment
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4. Know Your Rights!
 Can you name any of the specific rights
guaranteed by the First Amendment?
 In the U.S. is it legal to burn the flag as a
means of political protest?
 Can a public university censor a student
newspaper?
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5. Facts
 If you didn’t know the answers to the
previous questions you are not alone!
 Only 17% of Americans could name all
five freedoms guaranteed in the First
Amendment.
 Only 25% of students knew it was legal to
burn the flag in protest.
 As far as censoring a student newspaper
at a public university, it is against the law.
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6. Forty-Five Important Words
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.
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7. What five basic freedoms does the
1st Amendment protect?
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9. 3. What does the 1st amendment
prohibit Congress from doing
concerning religion?
 Congress cannot establish an official
religion in the United States
 The Establishment Clause
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10. 4. What else does it protect
concerning religion?
 Guarantees Americans the right to
practice their faith as they wish
 Free-Exercise Clause
 They may not favor one religion over
another or treat people differently
because of their personal beliefs
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11. S t u d e n t s & R e lig io n
A s s t u d e n t s , it ’ s im p o r t a n t t o k n o w y o u r
r e lig io u s r ig h t s in s c h o o l.
3. You are free to pray alone or in groups, as long as the activity is
not disruptive and does not infringe upon the rights of others.
4. As long as it is not disruptive, disrespectful of the rights of other
students, and does not pressure or coerce others, you can
exercise your faith.
5. Schools cannot organize religious activities. This includes making
students pray.
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12. REMEMBER:
 The government cannot force you to
believe in any religion. Everybody has the
right to practice the faith they believe in,
when and where they want to. Thanks for
the First Amendment, we are all
guaranteed the freedom of religion.
 KNOW YOUR RIGHTS!!!!!!
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13. Freedom of Speech
 Free speech is the liberty to speak and
express one’s opinions. It is the right to
express ideas, information, opinions, etc.
with very limited government restrictions.
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14. 5. What types of communication
are protected under freedom of
speech?
 Face to face
 Internet communication
 Art
 Music
 Clothing
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15.  Free speech includes the right to criticize
public officials, politicians, religious
leaders, and public and corporate policies.
Without this right a democratic nation
could not survive.
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16.  "I disapprove of what you say, but I will
defend to the death your right to say it".
Commonly attributed to Voltaire
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17. Freedom of the Press
 6. What does press and media include?
 Books
 Newspapers
 Magazines
 Radio
 Television
 Internet
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18. 7. How does freedom of press limit
the government?
 The government cannot practice
censorship.
 It cannot ban printed materials or films
merely because they contain alarming or
offensive ideas
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19.  The press is often called “the fourth
branch of government.” It helps to keep
the other three branches in check.
 Without a free press, this would not be
possible, and the democratic conditions
which we are used to, and enjoy in the
United States, would not exist.
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20. 8. What rights are covered by the
freedom of assembly?
 Protects our right to gather in groups for
any reason, so long as the assemblies are
peaceful.
 They can make rules about when and where, but
cannot ban them.
 We also have the right to form and join
social clubs, political parties, and labor
unions.
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22. Life without Freedom of
Assembly
 P e o p le w o u ld  It w o u ld b e
not be ha rd e r to
a llo w e d t o p ro te s t
p e a c e f u lly o p in io n s a n d
g a t h e r in us e the o the r
la r g e g r o u p s fr e e d o m s
w it h o u t g u a r a n t e e d in
p e r m is s io n t h e f ir s t
a me ndme nt
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23. 9. What does freedom of petition
allow the citizens to do?
 The right to express one’s idea to the
government.
 Petition = formal document
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25. Life Without Freedom of Petition
 P e o p le  P e o p le
c o u ld b e w o u ld b e
p e n a liz e d u n a b le t o
f o r p o lit ic a l c o m m u n ic a t
v ie w s a n d e w it h t h e ir
b e lie f s . s e na to rs
a nd
c ong re s s me
n
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26. H a rry S .
T r u m a n , 19 5 0
 “ In a f r e e c o u n t r y w e
p u n is h m e n f o r c r im e s t h e y
c o m m it b u t n e v e r f o r t h e
o p in io n s t h e y h a v e . ”
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27. 10. Name some of the limits to
freedom of speech.
 Do not have the freedom to provoke a riot
 Cannot speak or write in a way that leads
immediately to criminal activities or efforts
to overthrow the government by force
 May not spread lies that harm a person’s
reputation
 May not interfere with the rights of others
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28. 11. What are the two ways
someone can spread lies about
someone else?
 Slander = spreading spoken lies
 Libel = printed lies
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29. 12. Although we have many
individual freedoms, whose rights
come first?
 The rights of the community
 Otherwise, the society would break apart
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