The executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the United States government make up the country's political system. The United States now has 50 states, each with its own constitution, governor, and legislature (typically a state senate and a state assembly), and each has its own legal system, including lower and higher courts. A constitution is a set of basic principles or precedents by which a state or other enterprise is said to be governed. A constitutional amendment is a change to the constitution of a political system, organization, or other type of entity. Amendments are often incorporated into relevant parts of an existing constitution, directly changing its content. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay "The Constitution of the United States was written in 1787 by 55 delegates at a Constitutional Convention." Its purpose was to revise the weaker Articles of Confederation that had held the 13 states together after they gained independence from Great Britain. In June 1789, Madison introduced 12 amendments, although only 10 were passed and ratified in 1791 as the Bill of Rights (Ann Schmidt, 2021). Since then, seventeen other amendments have been passed, each with its own substantive importance. These amendments were designed to strengthen the rights of citizens in the United States. So why does the First Amendment matter? The First Amendment, which safeguards citizens' freedom of speech by allowing them to speak freely when they choose and choose, as well as their freedom of religion and of the press, can be seen as the most significant right under the Bill of Rights. 'It is stated 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 peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. (National Archives, 2022). Speech, religion, press, assembly, and the ability to petition the government are the five freedoms it protects. The citizens of the United States of America are the freest in the world thanks to these five guaranteed freedoms. This allows Americans to express themselves freely, express their opinions, and worship without intrusion; they can protest peacefully and their opinions are carefully considered and taken into account. The First Amendment is significant because it ensures citizens' freedom of religion, speech, and assembly. The amendment was written so that Americans can express themselves freely without fear of government interference, as it gives residents the freedom to speak whatever they choose, associate with others, and practice their faith without fear of being detained or punished, which is something not many other nationalities can claim, and it is something that American citizens take great pride in. “Many Americans seem to believe that our Constitution has been a model for the rest of the democratic world” (Dahl, 2003). Furthermore, this amendment is significant because it limits and prevents Congress from regulating people's religious beliefs. Without this provision, the government could force people to participate in specific religions and penalize those who don't. The Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause are two clauses of the First Amendment that deal with religion. Under the Establishment Clause, the government cannot “establish” a religion. The term "establishment" has no specific definition. In the past it indicated that theState-sponsored churches, such as the Church of, were prohibited. Today, the three-part standard established by the U.S. Supreme Court in Lemon v. Kurtzman, 403 U.S. 602, regulates what constitutes an "establishment of religion." According to the "Lemon" test, the government can only aid religion if the primary goal is secularism, support neither promotes nor discourages religion, and there is no undue involvement between church and state (US courts, n.d.). The government has no authority to force any individual or person to attend religious services or stay away from church against his or her choice. It cannot force someone to express a belief or non-belief in any church or religion. It also prohibits any type of punishment for anyone who harbors or prophesies religious disbelief or believes in exchange for attending or not attending church. It prohibits the use of any amount of tax, whether large or small, to aid religious activities or even religious institutions themselves, and this does not only refer to any type of religion but also to any form of practice that may be adopted from these guys. of institutions to exercise or inform matters of faith. There should be a clear distinction between religious practice and any state federal government, with no overt or covert connection between the two branches. An additional reason why the First Amendment is very significant is due to the fact that it protects the freedom of the press; the freedom to publish news and express opinions without fear of government restriction. There are many places around the world, such as the Middle East, where press freedom is severely limited or even non-existent. Freedom of the press can be seen as a great privilege and very significant as it can help preserve a balance between government influence and authority, thus making American citizens free to form informed opinions and be cultured and well-informed. It allows citizens to have within themselves the power to believe or not believe what they choose, to write, publish and share what they believe. This amendment allows journalists to write whatever they want, regardless of whether the government does not agree with it and this helps maintain a balance of authority. 'When we see the number of journalists around the world who are being killed and dying (for writing against the government), it holds up what we do in America. Everyone comes to us because they see what journalism means, what a free press means. We can't forget this' (NBC's Richard Lui, 2021). Individuals who spoke or did something that was considered against the king's orders were penalized in colonial times. Worshiping any deity other than one's own religion was prohibited, as was speaking against any royal official. Musicians had to pay a fine to play their instruments every time they wanted to do something unique, like perform in the theater, which would eventually leave them with a huge amount of debt. The First Amendment was originally put in place to end the restrictions people had on political expression and coverage in the media. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Among others, one One of the most significant rights protected by the First Amendment is the ability to petition the government and assemble or even protest. Expression, particularly political protest, can take numerous forms. Conduct can communicate a message that is often more powerful than words alone. Classic examples are civil rights sit-ins and civil rights protest marches..