First Amendment to the United States Constitution

From Wikinfo

Amendment I (the First Amendment) of the United States Constitution is part of the United States Bill of Rights. It states:

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.

Thus, it prevents the United States Congress from passing any law which:

has an effect on the establishment of religion or its practice
abridges free speech
abridges freedom of the press
abridges peaceable assembly
abridges the right of the people to petition the government for redress of grievances

These human rights are widely known as:

Freedom of religion
Freedom of speech
Freedom of the press
Freedom of peaceable assembly
The right to petition

The consequences of this Amendment to American society have been profound. First Amendment questions have been raised with regard to the separation of church and state; civil rights issues; pornography and obscenity; political speech and organizations; journalism and its restrictions; involuntary commitment laws; and many more.