1st Amendment Essay
For the past 2 weeks we have been examining your
rights as a U.S. citizen in regards to the 1st
Amendment: The rights to speech, religion, press, and assembly. We also looked at
the court cases regarding these rights and discussed what limits on your rights do
exist. To finish up this unit, I would like you to write an essay examining these
constitutional rights. The essay must match the following guidelines. If your paper
does not follow these rules, I will return it un-graded:
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Typed, double-spaced, in a readable 12 point font
Two pages in length not counting the title, your name, period, etc. So in
reality, your essay will be 2 pages plus a little more.
Include your rough draft notes, outlines, or handwritten version, etc. You do
not need to right out the essay before typing, but you must have some sort of
plan before you begin writing.
Follow standard writing style with an introductory paragraph with thesis
statement, main body, conclusion, properly formed paragraphs, and so on.
Your writing, spelling, and grammar need to be at high-school level or above.
Your own critical thinking must be readily apparent. That means you need to
have analysis, opinions, and ideas of your own in the paper. Also, you need to
include evidence to back up what you are saying. For evidence, think back to
the reading logs, handouts, discussions, and video we watched
You have the choice of one of the two following prompts. In your essay please
indicate which of the following you are choosing to write on:
1.
Nobody’s rights, even those rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution,
are absolute. The government places limits on our rights to protect the
safety and rights of others, promote desired behavior, and due to the
need of general practicality. Do you believe that the current limits on 1st
Amendment rights the government has imposed are correct? If so, why?
If not, what do you think should be changed, and why?
2.
The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution in order to satisfy the
concerns of some that this founding document held no protections of an
individual’s liberty. Why would the freedoms protected under the 1st
Amendment be so important to the creation of a true democracy? Why, in
many authoritarian regimes, do you think these freedoms are limited or
do not exist at all?