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.

What kind of ‘speech’ does the 1 st Amendment protect? Written words Spoken words Expressive conduct – actions that do not involve written or spoken words but do contain a message

Freedom of Association Allows people to gather and associate in order to form groups for political, economic or religious purposes without undue regulation Allows people to gather and associate in order to form groups for political, economic or religious purposes without undue regulation Does not appear within the constitution, but grows out of other constitutional rights Does not appear within the constitution, but grows out of other constitutional rights

Freedom of Assembly Freedom of Assembly Allows people to gather for peaceful and lawful purposes Allows people to gather for peaceful and lawful purposes Limited to issues concerning the first amendment Limited to issues concerning the first amendment Government can forbid people from associating with groups that engage in or promote illegal activities

Life without Freedom of Assembly People would not be allowed to peacefully gather in large groups without permission People would not be allowed to peacefully gather in large groups without permission It would be harder to protest opinions and use the other freedoms guaranteed in the first amendment

Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes (1937) “The right of peaceable assembly is a right cognate to those of free speech and is equally fundamental” “The right of peaceable assembly is a right cognate to those of free speech and is equally fundamental”

Assembly Supreme Court Cases Edwards v. South Carolina (1963) Edwards v. South Carolina (1963) The court held the state law unconstitutionally overbroad because it penalized the exercise of peaceable assembly. A disorderly crowd, or the fear of one, cannot be used to stop a peaceful demonstration or cancel the right of peaceable assembly. The court held the state law unconstitutionally overbroad because it penalized the exercise of peaceable assembly. A disorderly crowd, or the fear of one, cannot be used to stop a peaceful demonstration or cancel the right of peaceable assembly.

Freedom of Assembly Allows us to get together and assemble without government interference. Allows us to get together and assemble without government interference. Goes hand-in-hand with freedom to petition. Goes hand-in-hand with freedom to petition. Allows us to protest our representatives. Allows us to protest our representatives.

Freedom to Petition Allows us to write, call or speak to those who represent us in government. Allows us to write, call or speak to those who represent us in government. Also allows for us to protest those who represent us (related to freedom of assembly). Also allows for us to protest those who represent us (related to freedom of assembly).