Persuasive Essay On The First Amendment

1894 Words4 Pages

The first amendment is one that gives people freedom of speech, press, religion and petition (Hudon 6). The first part of the amendment is freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is arguably the most important amendment, it gives people the right to voice their opinion about anything. The United States is a land of democracy for a reason. If people were not able to voice their opinions then this would be a dictatorship ruled by the leaders. Being able to speak up is what makes America the country that it is. The first amendment wasn’t always supported by the United States government. It took many debates for it to even become an issue. “In 1787 Patrick Henry expressed his bitterness and dissatisfaction with the [Constitution]” (Hudon 1). He felt as though it didn’t include the specific rights that people should be given as citizens. “The excuse that was given for the [Constitution] not having a bill of rights was that the idea of a bill wasn’t [given] until three days before the end of the Constitution” (Hudon 1). “In May of 1790, thirteen states adopted the Constitution , but even in adopting it five states expressed dissatisfaction over the absence of the bill of rights” (Hudon 5). The anger from the people who saw that the Constitution did not have a bill of rights shows how important it is in our lives. James Madison was the main pioneer who showed discomfort with the Amendments. He said “the people shall not be deprived or abridged of their right to speak, to write, or to publish their sentiments […]” (Hudon 6). James Madison’s voice was felt by congress and the freedom of speech was created. This particular civil liberty was of interest to me because it reminded me of the Senate group here at Shippensburg University. The sena... ... middle of paper ... ...nger kid in person and the younger kid threatens the bully’s life. The bully knows the younger kid’s face and he could tell the cops that something may happen. However, if the bullying happens through the internet then it could have been another person or it could have been a typo. The internet makes it uncertain who the sender of the threatening messages is and what they meant. The internet should have more security policies. “Congress can and should do so in its next set of revisions to communications policy” (Stein 109). Laura makes a great point when she says that the government should make sure they change the online security. The internet and freedom of speech go hand and hand. They both could be used for good or bad, it depends on the individuals themselves. Freedom of speech is the most broadly used freedom because almost anyone with an opinion can use it.

Understanding the Controversies of the US Constitution
1132 Words | 3 Pages
The prominent figures at the time, such as Jefferson, realized this; Jefferson states in his letter to Madison that “a bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inferences.” (Document E). The first part of Jefferson’s statement is plain and obvious: every decent government owes its people a Bill of Rights. The quote “rest on inferences”, however, means that a government, or rather any higher authority, should not attempt to guess what the people want. Instead, the government should represent the people, and ask them what they want. That is what common practices such as voting, and statements such as “no taxation without representation” embody. Nevertheless, in this letter Jefferson recognizes the Bill of Rights as a desideratum. Additionally, in Document C- Federalist Papers #38 - Madison reports that “A fourth concurs to the absolute necessity of a bill of rights, but contends that it ought to be declaratory, not of the personal rights of individuals, but of the rights reserved to the States in their political capacity.” That statement illustrates what exactly the American people were asking for. They did not call for complete abandonment of political interests in favor of social freedoms, they wanted the State as a whole to have a set of rights. Also, the statement includes the words “political capacity”, which is a reference to the aforementioned notion that politicians and political parties should be limited in their power and should not be more important that the people. Rather, politics and socialization should stand on equal ground. Lastly, Document H exhibits four amendments from the Bill of Rights. Examining the wording of these amendments reveals how they specifically targeted the complains of the people and rectified them. Amendment I
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Hamilton Argues Against A Bill Of Rights
994 Words | 2 Pages
     Supporters of a constitution, lacking a bill of rights, were called Federalists. The Federalists included members such as Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, whom wrote a series of essays that were designed to inform and persuade the public of their views pertaining to the issues of the day. Among these views was whether a bill of rights should be added to the constitution. The Federalists, via Alexander Hamilton, dealt with this issue in a foremost way in their 84th essay.     In the 84th essay Hamilton begins by explaining that a bill of rights, which are “in their origin, stipulations between kings and their subjects, abridgements of prerogative in favor of privilege, reservations of rights not surrendered to the prince.”
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Annotated Bibliography Should A Person's Freedom Of Speech Be Limited In Any Way?
1153 Words | 3 Pages
One key to the first amendment of the United states constitution is the right to free speech. Freedom of speech is what separates America than other countries around the world that forbid freedom of speech rights. Freedom of speech has been in our constitution since the year 1791. When James Madison “the father of the constitution” wrote the bill of rights he saw potential and that it would make the country more freedom filled than other countries. The land of the free is what the United States is nicknamed and it 's because of our rights to express ourselves as freely as we desire.
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Persuasive Essay On The 2nd Amendment
821 Words | 2 Pages
For hundreds of years Americans have been growing up with the notion that it is a right to own a gun. Since the creation of the second amendment, people all over the United States have been able to guns for private use. Guns operated by the public are said to have a variety of uses such as, being able to protect oneself if conflict arises, grants the ability to put food on the table, and are used in competitions shooting targets against other people. But for many people guns have been seen as the root of all evil. Anti-gun users think that guns cause a variety of unexpected and innocent deaths. They also think that there are not enough laws in place that allow just about anyone to purchase a gun. The question of should guns be legal to all citizens has plagued our society. Do you think it is morally right for anyone to arm themselves and use it when they deem it to be necessary? Or do you think that the 2rd amendment seem unnecessary and outdated law that needs to be rewritten? These questions are just two of many that have thrown back and forth between pro-gun and anti-gun users.
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Persuasive Essay On The First Amendment
1303 Words | 3 Pages
Our founding fathers wrote the Constitution and the Bill of Rights to protect our most basic rights as citizens of the United States, and although creating the Constitution was an arduous effort, eventually the new Americans came to an agreement over what was included. “The Bill of Rights — the first 10 amendments to the Constitution — went into effect on Dec. 15, 1791, when the state of Virginia ratified it, giving the bill the majority of ratifying states required to protect citizens from the power of the federal government.” (First Amendment Center). After the first amendment went into effect, all religious minorities were now protected from persecution, and people could freely speak their
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The Bill of Rights
616 Words | 2 Pages
In the summer of 1787, delegates from the 13 states convened in Philadelphia and drafted a remarkable blueprint for self-government, the Constitution of the United States. The first draft set up a system of checks and balances that included a strong executive branch, a representative legislature and a federal judiciary. The Constitution was remarkable, but deeply flawed. For one thing, it did not include a specific declaration, or bill, of individual rights. It specified what the government could do but did not say what it could not do. For another, it did not apply to everyone. The "consent of the governed" meant propertied white men only. The Bill of Rights did not come from a desire to protect the liberties won in the American Revolution, but rather from a fear of the powers of the new federal government.
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Informative Essay: The First Amendment Rights
747 Words | 2 Pages
The last basic right that the First Amendment stated was the freedom to petition. The freedom to petition is stated in the First Amendment which prohibits Congress from abridging “the right of the people... to petition the Government for a redress of grievance. So this basic right controls what Congress can do to the people and what they can't do against them. Since 1641 the right to petition has been a huge topic that has been talked about all across America.
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Persuasive Speech On The First Amendment
1261 Words | 3 Pages
Unlike many other countries America has freedom of speech. Even in other countries in Europe people are not allowed to use “hate speech” and they can be sent to prison for it. Fortunately, the American constitution defends people’s freedom of speech, no matter how controversial it is. Political correctness diminishes people’s free speech. It may not be direct but even indirectly the knowledge that someone might have adverse consequences; such as losing a job as a result of their speech is unacceptable. People have the right to state their opinions without others infringing on them, it was the principle in which America was founded. The first amendment of the constitution of the United States declares that: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” (US Const. amend. I, sec. i). While the first amendment only affects congress’s control over free speech, it indicates that free speech is a right that people must have. Some people are of the opinion that if something can be found offensive
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Persuasive Essay On 2nd Amendment Rights
1093 Words | 3 Pages
“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed” is stated in the United States Constitution as the Second Amendment. Several Americans wish to rid of guns from citizens, disobeying and disrespecting the Constitution. I shot my first gun when I was young and have always been surrounded by them. My neighbor does not leave the house without carrying one, nor does my eighteen year old friend. Never once have I felt unsafe or uneasy knowing that there was a gun close to me. The right to bare arms has become a popular local battle in which some people want to reduce the freedom of one owning firearms while others wish for the
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2nd Amendment Essay
913 Words | 2 Pages
The United State of America, established by the Founding Father who lead the American Revolution, accomplished many hardship in order to construct what America is today. As history established America’s future, the suffering the United State encountered through history illustrate America’s ability to identify mistakes and make changes to prevent the predictable. The 2nd Amendment was written by the Founding Father who had their rights to bear arms revoked when they believe rising up to their government was appropriate. The Twentieth Century, American’s are divided on the 2nd Amendment rights, “The right to bear arms.” To understand why the Founding Father written this Amendment, investigating the histories and current measures may help the American people gain a better understanding of gun’s rights in today’s America.
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The Constitution
670 Words | 2 Pages
Of the 55 delegates sent to the Constitutional Convention, only 39 signed the completed document. Some did not even stay through the entire event because they felt it was headed in a direction that they could not support. These men had different reasons for their objections, some of which are discussed in this paper, but most importantly, they felt that the Constitution would threaten Liberty rather than secure it. The ratification of the Constitution was an essential first step to secure and stabilize this new national, but the voices and views of the Anti-Federalist were also very important. The first amendments to the Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, were due in much part to satisfy those voices and established many of the rights that we still hold dear today.
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First Amendment Rights In School Essay
1139 Words | 3 Pages
Students’ rights in schools are limited or just taken away. Kids are forced to do whatever the officials at their school, either the principal or the teachers, tell the students to do. One of the main right that gets taken away or limited is students’ first amendment rights, which is the freedom of expression. Students can gets suspended by just doing things the staff at the school does not like, including saying things that they don 't like or supporting a religion that the school does not support. Also, if something is said about the school or the people attending the school is said on social media that student can also get in a lot of trouble. Students should be able to have more first amendment
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Censorship In Schools Essay
1440 Words | 3 Pages
The First Amendment of the Constitution is the most important and debatable of them all. The First Amendment states; “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, of prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
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Preamble Of Constitution
339 Words | 1 Pages
The preamble of the constitution was created to ensure our unalienable rights by the bill of rights which is the first 10th amendments. Out of the bill of rights I think the 1st amendment is the most important because it states “Congress shall not make no law abridging(limiting) the freedom of speech, and the rights to petition to the government for a redress (correction of grievances (of injustice). This means that the government cannot deny your freedom of speech and cannot reject you when
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What Is Freedom Of Speech
1088 Words | 3 Pages
The First Amendment was ratified along with the American Bill of Rights in 1791. It is deprived from the English Bill of Rights, but there is a major difference. The English Bill of Rights only stretched the freedom of speech for Parliament, but the American Bill of Rights provided the right for all citizens ("First Amendment Freedom" 1). Thomas Jefferson and other Founding Fathers believed that all citizens should have no restrictions on what they wanted to say. This building belief was and still is essential for democracy to thrive ("First Amendment and" 1). What happens when this right is seemingly threatened? Debates on what the First Amendment truly means is causing many Americans to wonder if the concept of freedom
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Persuasive Essay On The First Amendment

Understanding the Controversies of the US Constitution

Hamilton Argues Against A Bill Of Rights

Annotated Bibliography Should A Person's Freedom Of Speech Be Limited In Any Way?

Persuasive Essay On The 2nd Amendment