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American Revolution
Many events led up to the Revolution until Americans finally became fed up with British rule and decided to fight. -
Declaration of Independence
America gains its freedom from Britain and is recognized as an independent nation. -
Creation of the Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was the United State's first attempt at a nationally excepted legal document and it failed. -
The Constitution is Ratified
The United States Constitution is ratified which lays the foundation for the creation of the Bill of Rights that includes the First Amendment. -
George Washington Election
George Washington is elected the first president of the United States and it gives Americans a figurehead to enforce a constitutional document. -
Expansion of the United States
Vermont becomes the first state to be added to the Union that was not apart of the original 13 colonies. -
Schenck v. United States
This case determined that freedom of speech was not protected if the speech being used incites false panic or puts anyone in danger when there is no danger present. For example, you cannot legally shout "FIRE!" in a movie theater if there is no fire. -
Whitney v. California
Since Anita Whitney did not base her defense on the First Amendment, the Supreme Court, by a 7 to 2 decision, upheld her conviction of being found guilty under the California’s 1919 Criminal Syndicalism Act for allegedly helping to establish the Communist Labor Party, a group the state argued taught the violent overthrow of government. It was decided that free speech was not protected in conspiracy against the government. -
Near v. Minnesota
The Court invalidated as an infringement of constitutional guarantees a Minnesota statue allowing specified government officials or private citizens to maintain a lawsuit in the name of the State to suppress a public nuisance and enjoin the publication of future issues of a "malicious, scandalous and defamatory newspaper, magazine or other periodical," unless the publisher can prove "the truth was published with good motives and for justifiable ends." -
"Fighting Words"
In Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire, the Court defines “fighting words” as, “those which by their very utterance inflict injury or tend to incite an immediate breach of peace,” will not be protected by the first amendment. -
Campbell v. St. Tammany Parish School Board
Public school district removed the book Voodoo and Hoodoo, a discussion of the origins, history, and practices of the voodoo and hoodoo religions that included an outline of some specific practices, from all district library shelves. This action was ruled unconstitutional by the court in that it violated the freedom of religion. -
Sund v. City of Wichita Falls, Texas
City residents who were members of a church sought removal of two books, Heather Has Two Mommies and Daddy's Roommate, because they disapproved of the books' depiction of homosexuality. The city had the right to keep the books because it fell under their First Amendment protection.
