How well do you know the First Amendment?

Happy Fourth of July!  Let’s celebrate the day we flipped off the British Empire and said, “Hey, we can handle this governing thing on our own, thank you very much.”

But it didn’t end there. Our forefathers fought a war to rid the states of the Redcoats and then debated and haggled over a Constitution to set down the working rules of our nation. Opposition to the ratification of the Constitution was partly based on the Constitution’s lack of adequate guarantees for civil liberties. Enter the Bill of Rights and probably the most important statement of rights ever put to paper – the First Amendment.

But how much do you really know about the First Amendment?  Do you know the five rights protected in the amendment? How about their application to current issues?  Test your knowledge of the First Amendment by taking the One for All quiz here.

The 45 words of the amendment list the five freedoms that serve as the basis for the unprecedented expression we as citizens enjoy. Other nations may have some of these freedoms, but the United States is the only one to have all five – the freedom of religious expression, speech, press, assembly and petition.

Wisconsin has been the epicenter of expression over the last six months as people assembled and marched in Madison for and against Gov. Walker and his legislative proposals; others petitioned the government for new representation or changes to laws and the press descended from all points on the planet to cover it all. All this was done without bullets being fired, reporters or citizens being arrested for exercising these freedoms.

Even though it wasn’t adopted until 1791, fifteen years after that first Independence Day, these guaranteed freedoms allow me and my colleagues to do our jobs and allow you to read this. It allowed both union employees and tea partiers to descend upon Madison to share their views and allowed others to petition the courts for redress. These are all important rights for people in a free nation and they are important enough to celebrate today.

So as you applaud the bands, marching units and fireworks today, remember the rights you enjoy and use everyday. They are the basis of our independence and a beacon for freedom across the world.