Imagining the First Amendment

On Wednesday, Sept. 10, we will have lecture and discussion on this theme: The First Amendment and the Ground Rules of Freedom. We will explore the origins of the First Amendment, the Framers' intentions and current theories about the value of free expression.

In preparation, click on the links below and explore the material there as background. Of interest throughout the semester will be news updates posted to the First Amendment Center website, so you should visit the page from time to time to see articles that might interest you — possibly as fodder for posts on your blogs.

READ the entries up to 1791 on this timeline provided by the First Amendment Center to get a sense of what was going on in the world at the time: First Amendment Timeline

READ this brief overview provided by the Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law School: First Amendment Overview

READ this brief overview provided by the First Amendment Center: First Amendment Overview

READ this brief overview provided by the U.S. Court System about what is and is not covered by the First Amendment: Free Speech Overview

BROWSE the First Amendment Center's website for current issues: First Amendment Center


First Amendment Visualizations