The First Amendment of the U.S., Essay Example

The Bill of rights contains the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution as the first section. This part is so crucial in the Constitution because it gives a guarantee for the freedoms of speech, religion, publishing, writing, freedom to raise grievances with the Government and peaceful assembly. Furthermore, it demands a separation between the state and church. The First Amendment promises:

“Congress shall make no law prohibiting the free exercise of religion or respecting an establishment thereof; or abridging the press freedom, or freedom of speech; or the people’s right to assemble peaceably, and for a redress of grievances to petition the government.”

An example of freedoms protected by the First Amendment includes advertising. Advertising is a commercial speech. An opinion by the Supreme Court in 1993 gave the general principles, which entail the protection of commercial speech. The court asserted that the commercial marketplace guarantees a forum where information and ideas flourish, just like other spheres of cultural and social life. Some information and ideas are vital while others are of slight worth. However, the general rule entails the audience and speaker assessing the presented information, and not the Government doing so. Therefore, any communication, which does not even propose a commercial transaction, enjoys protection of the First Amendment. As the first section of the Bill of Rights, the First Amendment entails protection of the right to assemble peaceably. The civil rights advocates, union workers, suffragettes, Ku Klux Klan members and anti-war activists are some of the examples of groups, which have taken to streets to make themselves heard. They have relied a lot on The First Amendment’s support for the freedom to assembly.