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Creation of First Amendment
The first amendment was introduced as apart of the Bill of Rights. -
Sedition Act
This classified critical speech of our military/government in order to benefit another country as treason. -
Espionage Act
This Act that took effect during WWI made speech or expression against the government or the military illegal. -
Schenck vs. US
Supreme court establishes "clear and present danger" rule for deciding when speech may be restricted. An example of this is yelling "fire" in a school. -
19th Amendment - Women Allowed to Vote
Although the 1st Amendment doesn't clearly state voting rights, voting can be perceived as freedom of speech/expression. -
Scopes Monkey Trial
Teacher is found guilty of violating a Tennessee law that prohibits teaching the theory of evolution in schools. -
Conviction of Communists
Fear of communism ran rampant in the United States. If you were a communist this meant you could be jailed for simply expressing your political views. -
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Vietnam Protest
Many US citizens protested this war. Their right to protest was protected under the first amendment. -
Epperson vs Arkansas
This ruling overturned "Scopes Money Trial" and allowed the theory of evolution to be taught in schools. -
First Amendment not Applicable on Private Property
After a protest was shutdown at a mall, the protesters sued the mall for violating their freedom of speech. The Court found that citizens do not have a First Amendment right to express themselves on privately owned property. -
NSPA vs Skokie
After a Neo-Nazi group marched through a Jewish neighborhood, a family decided to sue the group for hate speech. The court found that the Neo-Nazi group to be innocent because the First Amendment allows freedom of expression. -
Snyder vs Phelps
After the Westboro Baptist church protested the funeral of a Marine, a family member of the Marine sued the protesters. The court found Westboro to be innocent since they were practicing their freedom of expression.