Timeline of Key First AmendmentRelated Events
The First Amendment
“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.”
• Part of the United States Bill of Rights, which was ratified
in 1791
• Establishes five freedoms:
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Establishment Clause and Free Exercise of Religion
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of Press
Right to Assemble
Right to Petition the Government
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Timeline Activity
• Working with your group, research each event
on your group’s slide.
• Click on an event to be linked to a web-based
resource that provides some background
information about the event.
• Find at least one additional source of
information to support your research and help
you answer the questions on your group’s
handout.
• Be prepared to present your timeline of events
to your class.
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Group 1
Bill of Rights ratified
1791
Lemon v. Kurtzman
1971
Commemoration of Thomas
Jefferson’s Birthday
2008
1948
2001
McCollum v. Board
of Education
USA Patriot Act passed.
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Group 2
Alien and Sedition Acts
1798
Free Speech Zones
Hollywood Ten
1950
2004
1989
1919
Schenck v. United States
Texas v. Johnson
5
Group 3
The Scope Monkey
Trials
Beussink v. Woodland R-IV
School District
1998
1925
1835
Gag Rule passed.
1953
Arthur Miller writes The Crucible.
6
2007
Morse v. Frederick
Group 4
Reynolds v. United States
1878
NY Times v. Sullivan
Skyywalker Records, Inc. v. Navarro
1989
1964
1936
Dorothea Lange and the Great Depression
2000
Boy Scouts of America v. Dale
7
Group 5
The Jungle
1906
Tiananmen Square Protests
West Virginia v. Barnette
1943
1989
1970
Tinker v. Des Moines
8
2008
United States v. Williams