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Massachusetts Body of Liberties
This document, although written over 150 years before, played a great role in the writing of the Bill of Rights. It included principles of due process of law, free enterprise, and equality. -
Rhode Island Grants Religious Freedom
Although only a colony, Rhode Island, was originally created to give victims of prosecution religious freedom. This led to other colonies doing much the same and essentially the granting of religious freedom across the nation. -
Publication of John Locke's "Letter Concerning Toleration"
This literary work provided a basis for the Virginia Declaration of Rights of 1776, which dealed largely with religion. The proposal argued that "all Men should enjoy the fullest toleration in the exercise of religion." -
The Great Awakening
America was being swept over by a major religious revival that changed the views of many religious leaders on theocracy and separation of church and state. -
The Virginia Declaration of Rights
This document was originally drawn up by Thomas Jefferson as the opening paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence and was later used as the basis for the Bill of Rights. -
Virginia Legislature adopts the Ordinance of Religious Freedom
This document disestablished the Anglican Church as the official church and prohibited harassment based on religious differences. -
Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
One of the most important laws adopted by the Virginia General Assembly. Its passage included a 10-year campaign in Virginia to disestablish the Church of England. -
The Northwest Ordinance
This document, passed by Congress, although primarily a law establishing government guidelines for colonization of new territory, also provided that "religion, morality, and knowledge are also necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind." -
Ratification of the Bill of Rights
The last state, Virginia, ratified the Bill of Rights on this date and essentially set the limits on the governments power. -
Sedition Act of 1798
Signed by President John Adams, it gave federal authorities the right to prosecute any individual suspected of plotting against the federal government. It also made it a criminal act to speak or write maliciously of the president or of Congress. This act was viewed as a direct violation to the 1st amendment and was not renewed after its expiration in 1800. -
The Virginia Resolution
This document, authored by James Madison, said that by enacting the Alien and Sedition Acts, Congress was exercising "a power not delegated by the Constitution, but expressly and positively forbidden by one of the amendments." -
The Kentucky Resolution
This document, authored by Jefferson, asserted that the states had the power to nullify unconstitutional federal laws. The ideas of this document and the Virginia Resolution became a precursor to John C. Calhoun's arguments about the power of states to nullify federal laws and played a great role in the Nullification Crisis. -
John Stuart Mill publishes the essay "On Liberty"
This essay, written the same year as Charles Darwin's "On the Origin of Species," was written as a justification for free speech and to devend the rights of an individual against the state. -
Patterson v. Colorado
In this case, the Supreme Court refused to even hear the case and claimed that the main purpose of the First Amendment was to prevent "previous restraints upon publications as had been practiced by other governments." -
Espionage Act of 1917
This act made it a crime to write or say anything that might encourage disloyalty or interfere with drafting of servicemen. The act was viewed as a violation of the 1st amendment but with national security at risk, this argument was disregarded. -
The Civil Liberties Bureau is formed
This bureau, being a forerunner of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), was formed to oppose the Espionage Act of 1917. -
Congress passed the Sedition Act
This act, although simply an extension of the Espionage Act, forbid spoken criticism of the U.S. government, the Constitution, or the flag. -
Schenck v. U.S.
This Supreme Court case upheld the Espionage Act of 1917 and ruled that the defendant did not have a First Amendment right to express freedom of speech agaist the draft during WWI. This case established the "clear and present danger" test which lasted until 1969. -
Congress repealed the Sedition Acts
This act although applying to times when the United States was at war, was finally repealed at the end of WWI. -
The United States Supreme Court declared the Religious Freedom Restoration Act Unconstitutional
The United States, in a 6 to 3 decision, declared the RFRA unconstitutional and caused many state legislators across the country to reconsider ways to restore the protection of religious rights
