iCivics
I Civics: Texas v. Johnson (1989)
This mini-lesson covers the basics of the Supreme Court's decision that burning the American flag is a form of political speech protected by the First Amendment. Students learn about the First Amendment freedom of speech and the...
iCivics
I Civics: Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)
This mini-lesson plan covers the Supreme Court's decision about limiting government restrictions on campaign contributions. Students learn about campaign finance, Super PACs, the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (McCain-Feingold Act), and...
iCivics
I Civics: Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
This mini-lesson covers the basics of the Supreme Court's decision that extended First Amendment protections to young scholars in the classroom. Students learn about the concept of symbolic speech and how young scholars gained the right...
iCivics
I Civics: Lyng v. Northwest Indian Cemetery Protective Association (1988)
This mini-lesson examines the Supreme Court case that pitted the interests of government economic projects against the religious rights of American Indians. Learners learn about the religious protections of the First Amendment's Free...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: The First Amendment
This resource presents lessons on the First Amendment. It contains many resources for use with children, and links to primary source documents.
US National Archives
Nara: Teaching With Documents: United States vs. Thomas Cooper
The information, documents and lessons relating to the United States vs. Thomas Cooper case. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Rcfp: The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
This non-profit organization collects instances of First Amendment and Freedom of Information cases throughout the United States and reports on the facts and outcomes. An interesting cross section from this section of our law.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: The Tech: Cnn Foils Prior Restraint
An essay by a freshman at MIT gives a definition and examples of "Prior Restraint." The Tech is the MIT school newspaper. (Published Dec. 7, 1990)
Illinois Institute of Technology
Oyez Project: Masson v. New Yorker Magazine, Inc. (1991)
This summary examines the impact of the 1991 US Supreme Court decision regarding the attribution of quotes to sources used in journalistic articles. Includes links to the full case, audio files, and how the justices voted on the case.
Illinois Institute of Technology
Oyez Project: Schenck v. United States (1919)
This U.S. Supreme Court case established the famous "clear and present danger" doctrine by dealing with the issue of freedom of speech. This resource provides an abstract containing a summary, a link to the full text of the decision, and...
Illinois Institute of Technology
Oyez Project: Dennis vs. United States
A brief summary of Dennis v. United States, a First Amendment case decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1951 involving limits to the freedom of speech. Includes portraits of the justices on the court of the time and information about how...
George Mason University
George Mason University: The Espionage Act of May 16, 1918
The original text of Section 3 of the Espionage Act of May 16, 1918 is provided at this site.
Other
Freedom Forum: First Amendment Struggles & Triumphs
Find out how the First Amendment serves citizens in real life by reading about Daniel Ellsberg, Mary Beth Tinker, and Alton T. Lemon, all of whom were principal litigants in landmark Supreme Court cases regarding the freedom of expression.