The First Amendment gives us five rights. It includes freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right to assemble, and the right to petition the government. What does all this really mean? It means we can worship the way we wish, choosing any religion we want without fearing that the government will punish us or prevent us from pursuing our faith. It also means that the government cannot decide what we must believe and cannot impose a particular religion on anyone. This is the basis for “separation of church and state,” which we will discuss later.

Freedom of speech means that individual citizens may freely speak their minds, even if they criticize the government, without fear of punishment. Freedom of the press means that newspapers also have freedom of speech; they can print controversial discussions and articles about any subject they choose, including the government and its officials.

There are some important limits to freedom of speech and freedom of the press. With freedom comes responsibility, and in this case the newspapers (and individuals) have a responsibility not to speak harmfully about others. Purposely trying to destroy another’s reputation or to unjustly accuse someone is not allowed. Also, a newspaper cannot print articles that might jeopardize the security of the country, particularly during times of war.

The right to assemble means that people can gather peaceably for any reason, including demonstrating to argue about a political issue. Peaceable assembly is quite different from gathering together to create havoc or violence.

You may never want to petition the government if you disagree with a policy or program, but under the First Amendment, you have the right to do so.

Obviously, problems can arise in connection with the rights of individual and groups to hold political or religious rallies in public places. Certain public properties may be off limits to First Amendment freedom of speech if the property is dedicated to a particular use, at least during specified hours. For example, if a political demonstration were scheduled outside a school during school hours, and it was deemed to be an interference to the primary purpose of the school — which is to educate children — it could be prohibited.