Happy Holidays from the National Constitution Center! We are grateful for the impactful work you do every day, and we look forward to all the learning possibilities in the New Year. Have a restful and rejuvenating Winter Break. See you in 2024!

Speech and Press Activities for Students

Watch: First Amendment

Watch time: 13 minutes

Why was the First Amendment protections included in the Bill of Rights? How does it protect Americans’ civil and political rights? Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, explains the connections of the Declaration of Independence to the writings of Thomas Jefferson and Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis and the First Amendment.

Play: Is It Protected?

Run time: 10 minutes

The First Amendment limits the government’s ability to interfere with religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition rights. However, the government can restrict some activities in order to serve a legitimate government interest like maintaining safety and public order. For each of the scenarios in this game, you’ll have to decide whether or not an action is protected or allowed by the First Amendment.

Read: The First Amendment and School Library Book Policies

Read time: 4 minutes

Book selections at public school libraries are back in the headlines, which prompts the question: Can school boards exclude books from school libraries? Head over to Constitution Daily to learn about constitutional precedents.

Professional Learning for Educators

First Amendment: Speech and Press Featuring Eugene Volokh

Wednesday, December 20 | 6:30–8 p.m. ET

Participants will examine the historical context and the drafting of the First Amendment—focusing especially on the factors motivating America’s Founding generation. We will also examine various types of speech, including symbolic speech, hate speech, and political speech, and look at how those definitions have been applied throughout history. Eugene Volokh, Gary T. Schwartz Distinguished Professor of Law; Founder and Co-Author of "The Volokh Conspiracy" at Reason Magazine joins us. 

Thank you for being part of our community of educators. If you have any questions we’d love to hear from you. Please email the education team at [email protected].

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