Which amendment guarantees the freedoms of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition?

• A. The Fourth Amendment
• B. The First Amendment
• C. The Second Amendment
• D. The Fifth Amendment

Answer: (B)

Focus on the fundamental liberties that protect individual expression and conscience. The First Amendment explicitly safeguards five core freedoms—speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition—and it blocks Congress from making laws that would curb those rights. This means people can express themselves, practice their faith, publish information, gather peacefully, and petition the government for redress without government interference. Ratified in 1791 as part of the Bill of Rights, it established a baseline of civil liberties and, over time, through court decisions, its protections have been extended to limit state actions as well. The other amendments cover different protections—unrelated to these five freedoms—such as protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, the right to bear arms, and due process—so they don’t encapsulate all the freedoms listed here. Therefore, the amendment described is the First Amendment.