Why Is The 1st Amendment Important

The 1st Amendment is the first section of the Bill of Rights and is often considered the most important part of the U.S Constitution because it guarantees the citizens of United States the essential personal freedoms of religion, speech, press, peaceful assembly and the freedom to petition the Government. The United States Constitution was signed on September 17th, 1787. It did not include a bill of rights and it did not include their freedoms. And so, on September 25, 1789, Congress passed the first ten amendments. The Bill of Rights was created by the Founding Fathers with the intent of restricting the powers of the new national government. The first of the amendments was written because the people wanted their basic freedoms guaranteed.

The idea of free speech was virtually unheard of at the time the constitution was created.

At that time, in other places around the world, people were being persecuted for what they said. Even today, there are many countries that do not guarantee the basic right or privilege of freedom of speech. Obviously, there are some forms of speech which are not protected, such as slander, obscenity, and speech that presents a clear and present danger. We have the freedom to walk down the street announcing anything we want. It costs nothing to express our opinions through whatever means we have available. The founding fathers intended to grant equal legal protection to everyone with an opinion. That principle of free speech is still valid, but the implications are much more complex today than they were 200 years ago. The first amendment was written in the 18th century, we were a country with only thirteen states, and since then, we have grown in area and population. The freedom of religion had a very similar

beginning.
Much like the freedom of speech, in many places it was unlawful to practice specific religions, hold certain beliefs, or speak out against the government. Citizens faced prison sentences, torture, or even death for violating such prohibitions. Throughout history, many people have left their homelands due to the persecution they have faced for believing in what they feel is right. Some have even paid the ultimate price with their lives. Some of the first immigrants to this country came here because of religious beliefs that were rejected in their home country. One of the greatest things about this country is that everyone has the choice to believe in what they want and not have to worry about the consequences of their beliefs. Our founding fathers realized how important religion is by listing it first in the bill of rights. Freedom of religion encompasses something that the government can’t ban, freedom to believe. Both of the previous freedoms mentioned tend to overshadow other, just as important rights and freedoms.
The right to petition our Government, though often overlooked in comparison with the other freedoms listed in the First Amendment, is nonetheless, a very significant right that we have in this country. This right grants people not only the freedom to stand up and speak out against injustices they feel are occurring, but also grants the power to help change those injustices. Because several voices are always louder than one, the right to petition is a valuable tool to citizens in that they can join together to speak out for issues they feel are important to them. The right to petition government is a freedom that has been firmly upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States on countless occasions, proving that it is considered an inalienable right by the U.S. Government.

The 1st Amendment is one of the most critical, yet misunderstood amendments. It is fundamental to the existence of democracy as well as our freedom as U.S citizens. Most of us Americans are guilty of taking some of our basic freedoms for granted. We are born and raised here, with no experience of living in a place without these freedoms. Thanks to the rights granted by the First Amendment, Americans are able to live in a country where they can freely express themselves, speak their mind, pray without interference, protest in peace and where their opinions are taken into consideration.