United States History Student Edition

C

Writing a Persuasive Argument

D One of the important rights found in the Bill of Rights is freedom of the press. The First Amendment guarantees writers and editors the freedom to decide what appears in their publications. This allows the press to serve as a “watchdog” over government and inform the public on government actions. ACTIVITY Writing a Public Service Announcement Read the full text of the First Amendment that follows. Then write a public service announcement that stresses the importance of freedom of the press. Include the key role the press plays in our society, and explain why it is important to be aware of the democratic principle of freedom of the press. Address what constitutes the “press” in today’s world and how that has changed over time. The First Amendment Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the Every 10 years, the federal government conducts a census to count the number of people living in the United States. The first United States census was taken in 1790 to record the population of the new nation. To complete the task, Congress granted authority to U.S. marshals to visit every household and count the number of residents across the 13 states and several territories. Since that period, the government has used these statistics in a variety of ways, including to determine how many seats each state should hold in the House of Representatives and to decide how the federal government should allocate funding across the states.

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.

» Reporters ask questions at a White House press briefing.

Making Connections to Today

ACTIVITY Creating a Slideshow Presentation on the Census Go online to research results from the censuses conducted in the years 2000 and 2020. Compare key statistics from the two periods, including the total population, the states with the largest and smallest populations, and the changes in Congressional seats from 2000 to 2020. Then work with a partner to create a digital slideshow presentation to explain this information to an audience. Include photos, charts, and graphs to help explain census results across a 20-year period. Once your presentation is ready, ask another classmate to review it and provide feedback. Apply the feedback to your project before presenting it to the class.

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