The First Amendment

Since I’ll be attending law school in august, I thought it might benefit me to go over the amendments of the U.S. Constititution (there’s 27!).  Until recently, I could really only remember what the first one was.  But, I’ll start with it anyways.

The First Amendment (1791) says that:

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 to peaceably assemble, or to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

The only part that may make somebody stop and say “Uh…what?”, is probably the second half of the last bullet.  What it boils down to is that all citizens of the U.S. can request the government to remedy or provide relief for a wrong or injustice that has occurred to them.  (In legal speak, relief is almost exclusively defined as money.)

So, do you feel smarter now?

10 points to whoever can tell me what the 2nd Amendment says without looking it up.