How Much Do You Know About the First Amendment? Take a Quiz

Everyone in the United States needs to learn more about a United States document that defines our freedom.

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is short and succinct with just 45 words.

“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.”

Written by James Madison the First Amendment (1A) gives Americans five freedoms — of the press, of speech, of religion, to petition, and to assemble.

Thus the government cannot tell people how to worship, limit what they can say and talk about, or interfere with the press. The words in the First Amendment also say that the government cannot stop people from getting together or assembling peacefully and cannot stop them from asking the government to make changes or just telling the government that they disagree with something.

One thing to remember is that the First Amendment defines what the United States government cannot do. It does not necessarily apply to private business, your family, some schools, or other private endeavors.

Take a First Amendment quiz, brought to you by the News Literacy Project, to find out how much you really know about the First Amendment. It’s a challenging quiz, but if you get a wrong answer, it provides lots of information to bring the 1A knowledge of students, teachers, and parents up to speed.