Print the news and raise hell
A healthy disregard of powerful government is nothing new. The Constitution set up the American system of government, stating what the three branches of government could do — but there was a serious objection to the Constitution being ratified by the states. It did not say what the government could not do, and many states were unhappy about that.
Addressing this dilemma, agreement was reached that once the Constitution was ratified and the government of the U.S. properly elected, Congress would draw up a list of rights to be safeguarded and submit them to the states to ratify as amendments to the Constitution. The promise was kept, and 10 of the 12 proposed amendments were adopted, known as the Bill of Rights.
The First Amendment protects freedom of speech and of the press. Why was that important? Because without the press, the American Revolution may have never taken place.
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