The First Amendment in the 21st Century

This series examines eight First Amendment cases decided by the United States Supreme Court, cases that will guide in the understanding of how the First Amendment is still securing our liberties in the technologically rich and rapidly changing world we live in.

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Title ID 67-FAA
History, American History, Political Science, U.S. Government
8 Programs
62 Supplemental Files
10th Grade through Post Secondary
Published by Ambrose Video Publishing Inc./Centre Communications

Included Programs

Supplemental Files

Reviews

Boy Scouts of America v. Dale - The Gay Scout Master CaseRunning time is 28 minutes

Noted jurist David Hudson guides students on the First Amendment's right to freedom of association

Chapter List

The Case: Boy Scouts of America v. Dale is a case involving two issues - the Constitution's Bill of Rights and the first amendment' guarantees of freedom of assembly and freedom of speech which combine to form freedom of assocaition and freedom of expressive association, and anti discrimination laws, in this case James Dale's right not be discriminated against because of his sexual orientation.
The Supreme Court Arguments: The Supreme Court Justices, Rehnquist, Stevens, O'Connor, Scalia, Kennedy, Souter, Thomas, Ginsburg and Breyer decided this case concerning Consitutional and Bill of Rights First Amendment issues - freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, freedom of association, expressive association and freedom of speech versus anti discrimination laws.
The Impact: The nation's top First Amendment scholars discuss the impact on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights of the Supreme Court's decision in this case concerning freedom of expression, freedom of association, freedom of assembly, right of expressive association versus anti discrimination laws.

Bartnicki v Vopper: The Illegal Digital Intercept CaseRunning time is 27 minutes

Noted jurist David Hudson guides students on the Bill of Rights' First Amendment right to freedom of the press versus the right to privacy.

Chapter List

The Case: The Constitution's Bill of Rights protects the freedom of the press, a freedom which originally was about the printing press but in the 21st century with the advent of the Internet and blogs this right can conflict with the right of privacy.
The Supreme Court Arguments: The Supreme Court decided this case concerning Consitutional and Bill of Rights First Amendment issues, including the right of free expression and freedom of the press, versus the right to privacy.
The Impact: The nation's top First Amendment scholar, discuss the impact on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights of the Supreme Court's decision in this case concerning free expression and freedom of the press versus the right to privacy in the Age of the Internet.

Garcetti v Ceballos: The Whistleblower CaseRunning time is 28 minutes

Noted jurist David Hudson guides students on the Bill of Rights' First Amendment right of free speech as pertains to public employees.

Chapter List

The Case: The Constitution and its Bill of Rights guarantee freedom of speech, a free expression right, but government employees or public employees do not have free speech rights because of corporation's 'employment at will doctrine,' which means public employees have limitations on what they can say in the public workplace, including if they are whistleblowers.
The Supreme Court Arguments: The Supreme Court Justices Roberts, Scalia, Thomas, Souter, Stevens, Kennedy, Breyer, Ginsburg and Alito decided this case which looked at Constitution and the Bill of Rights' guarantees of free speech, a freedom of expression right, versus the public employee or whistleblower's right to free speech in the public workplace.
The Impact: The nation's top First Amendment scholars, discuss the impact on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights of the Supreme Court's decision in this case concerning

U.S. v American Library Association: The Internet Filtering CaseRunning time is 29 minutes

Noted jurist David Hudson guides students on the Bill of Rights' First Amendment right of free expression pertaining to the Internet and filtering pornography

Chapter List

The Case: The Constitution and the Bill of Rights protect free speech, a free expression right, for everyone except for notable exceptions such as obscenity and pornography; and in the case of the Internet and CIPA, the Children's Internet Protection Act, the question of Internet filtering in libraries was looked at in relatonship to a library as a public forum.
The Supreme Court Arguments: The Supreme Court decided this case which looked at the Constitution and the Bill of Rights' guarantees of free speech, a freedom of expression right, versus the library as a public forum not having to use Internet filtering to stop obscenity and pornography in order to get government funding.
The Impact: The nation's top First Amendment scholars discuss the impact on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights of the Supreme Court's decision in this case concerning free speech, a free expression right, versus a library as a public forum and not having to use Internet filtering to stop obscenity and pornopgraphy in order to get governmet funds.

Zelman v. Simmons-Harris: The School Voucher CaseRunning time is 29 minutes

Noted jurist David Hudson guides students on the Bill of Rights'First Amendment establishment clause - the separation of church and state in case dealing with school vouchers.

Chapter List

The Case: The First Amendment in the Constitution's Bill of Rights has the establishment clause, the separation of church and state, which sets up a wall of separation between religion and government, and the 14th Amendment's Incorporation Doctrine incorporates this establishment clause to the states, an idea that was tested in a Cleveland Ohio initiative that provided school vouchers to parents who could use the money to send their children to parochial schools.
The Supreme Court Arguments: The Supreme Court decided this case, which looked at the Constitution and the Bill of Rights' guarantee of a wall separation between church and state, known as the establishment clause, and whether the 14th Amendment's Incorporation Doctrine applied to a school voucher system funneling money into parochial schools.
The Impact: The nation's top First Amendment scholars discuss the impact on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights of the Supreme Court's decision in this case concerning the separation of church and state, known as the establishment clause, and whether the 14th Amendment's Incorporation Doctrine applied to a school voucher system funneling money into parochial schools.

Van Orden v. Perry and McCreary County v. ACLU of Kentucky: The 10 Commandments Cases Running time is 29 minutes

Noted jurist David Hudson guides students on the Bill of Rights' First Amendment establishment clause - the separation of church and state in two cases dealing with religious speech in Government places.

Chapter List

The Case: The Constitution's Bill of Rights, guarantees the separation of church and state through the 1st Amendment's establishment clause, and through the 14th Amendment's Incorporation Doctrine, which applies this clause to the states, and as a result there have been two important cases dealing with the Ten Commandments, a religious symbol, on government property.
The Supreme Court Arguments: The Supreme Court decided two cases about Ten Commandments displays, by applying the Constitution and the Bill of Rights' guarantee of a separation of church and state, through the 1st Amendment's establishment clause, as applying to the states through the 14th Amendment's Incorporation Doctrine, in the constructuion of religious symbols on government property.
The Impact: The nation's top First Amendment scholars discuss the impact on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights of the Supreme Court's decision in two cases concerning the display of the Ten Commandments, a religious symbol, on state government property, by usisng the 14th Amendment's Incorporation Doctrine to apply the 1st Amendment's separation of church and state through the establishment clause to the states.

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission: The Campaign Finance Reform Case Running time is 29 minutes

Noted jurist David Hudson guides students on the Bill of Rights' First Amendment right of free expression and corporations' First Amendment political free speech rights.

Chapter List

The Case: Under the Constitution's Bill of Rights corporations and unions are persons with the same rights as U.S. citizens, and are therefore entitled to freedom of speech or political free speech, a free expression right, such that in the area of campaign finance they can spend money with the same rights as citizens, irrespective of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, known as the McCain Feingold Act.
The Supreme Court Arguments: The Supreme Court Justices - Roberts, Stevens, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor and Alito - decided this case, which looked at the Constitution and the Bill of Rights' guarantee of freedom of speech or political free speech, a free expression right, to unions and corporations, in favor of unions and corporations by finding against the Campaign Finance Reform Act, otherwise known as the McCain Feingold Act.
The Impact: The nation's top First Amendment scholars discuss the impact on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights of the Supreme Court's decision in this case concerning the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, also known as the McCain Feingold Act, as it pertains to freedom of speech or political free speech, a free expression right, for corporations and unions which are considered individuals, who can contribute money to political campaigns.

United States v. Stevens: The Dog Fighting CaseRunning time is 28 minutes

Noted jurist David Hudson guides students on the Bill of Rights' First Amendment right of free speech versus pornography, specifically whether the Court would recognize a new exception to the First Amendment's free speech rights in the case of animal cruelty.

Chapter List

The Case: The Constitution's Bill of Rights, protects freedom of speech and freedom of the press, free expression rights, however, there are first Amendment exceptions to free speech such as child pornography, but dog fighting videos and crush videos displaying animal cruelty are not exceptions,
The Supreme Court Arguments: In deciding this case, the Supreme Court, which looked at the Constitution and the Bill of Rights' guarantees of freedom of speech and freedom of the press, free expression rights, ruled that unlike child pronography, dog fighting videos and crush videos depicting animao cruelty are not excpetions to free speech.
The Impact: The nation's top First Amendment scholars, discuss the impact on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights of the Supreme Court's decision in this case concerning freedom of the press and freedom of speech, free expression rights, in the attempt of the U.S. government to equate dog fighting videos and crush videos, which depict aniimal cruelty, to child pornography.

Audio of Oral Argument for Bartnicki v Vopper MPEG3: Audio of Oral Argument forBartnicki v Vopper before the Supreme Court in MPEG3 format
Audio of Oral Arguments for Citizens United v FEC MPEG3: Audio of Oral Arguments for Citizens United v FEC before the U.S. Supreme Court in MPEG3 format
Audio of Oral Arguments for McCreary County v ACLU of Kentucky MPEG3: Audio of Oral Arguments for McCreary County v ACLU of Kentucky before the U.S. Supreme Court in MPEG3 format
Audio of Oral Arguments for Van Orden v Perry Oral Argument MPEG3: Audio of Oral Arguments for Van Orden v Perry Oral Argument before the U.S. Supreme Court in MPEG3 format
Audio of Oral Arguments for Zelman v Simmons-Harris MPEG3: Audio of Oral Arguments for Zelman v Simmons-Harris in MPEG3 format
Audio of Oral Arguments of US v American Library Association MPEG3: Audio of Oral Arguments of US v American Library Association before the U.S. Supreme Court in MPEG3 format
Audio Oral Argument of Boy Scouts of America v Dale MPEG3: Audio of Oral Argument of Boy Scouts of America v Dale before the U.S. Supreme Court in MPEG3 format
Audio Oral Argument of Garcetti v Ceballos MPEG3: Audio Oral Argument of Garcetti v Ceballos before the U.S. Supreme Court in MPEG3 format
Case Summary for Boy Scouts of America v Dale: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court Case Boy Scouts of America v Dale
Case Summary of American Booksellers v Hudnut: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court case, American Booksellers v Hudnut referenced in the program
Case Summary of Bartnicki v Vopper: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court case Bartnicki v Vopper
Case Summary of Buckley v Valeo: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court case, Buckley v Valeo referenced in the program
Case Summary of Citizens United v Federal Election Commission: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court case Citizens United v Federal Election Commission
Case Summary of Connick v Myers: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court case, Connick v Myers, referenced in the program
Case Summary of Garcetti v Ceballos: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court Case, Garcetti v Ceballos
Case Summary of Hurley v Irish American GLIB: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court case, Hurley v Irish American GLIB, referenced in the program
Case Summary of Lemon v Kurtzman: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court case, Lemon v Kurtzman, referenced in the program
Case Summary of Loving v Virginia: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, Loving v Virginia, discussed in the program
Case Summary of McAuliffe v Mayor of City of New Bedford: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the case, McAuliffe v Mayor of City of New Bedford, referenced in the program
Case Summary of McConnell v Federal Election Commission: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court case, McConnell v Federal Election Commission referenced in the program
Case Summary of McCreary County v ACLU of Kentucky: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court case McCreary County v ACLU of Kentucky
Case Summary of Miller v California: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court case, Miller v California referenced in the program
Case Summary of Miller v California: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court case, Miller v California, referenced in the program
Case Summary of NAACP v Button: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court case, NAACP v Button referenced in the program
Case Summary of Pickering v Board of Education: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court case, Pickering v Board of Education, referenced in the program
Case Summary of Roberts v United States Jaycees: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, Roberts v United States Jaycees, referenced in the program
Case Summary of Santa Clara County v Southern Pacific Railroad Company: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court case, Santa Clara County v Southern Pacific Railroad Company referenced in the program
Case Summary of Stone v Graham: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court case, Stone v Graham, referenced in the program
Case Summary of the New York Times v United States: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court case, New York Times v United States, referenced in the program
Case Summary of United States v American Library Association: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court case United States v American Library Association
Case Summary of United States v Stevens: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court case United States v Stevens
Case Summary of Van Orden v Perry: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court case Van Orden v Perry
Case Summary of Zelman v Simmons-Harris: A brief description of the facts, the issues and the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court Case Zelman v Simmons-Harris
Espionage Act of 1917: A written transcript of the Espionage Act of 1917
MARC Records for FAA: MARC records for the series The First Amendment in the 21st Century
Patriot Act 2001: A written transcript of the Patriot Act of 2001
Teacher's Guide for Bartnicki v Vopper - The Illegal Digital Intercept Case: This Teacher's Guide for Bartnicki v Vopper - The Illegal Digital Intercept Case has been prepared to aid the teacher in utilizing materials contained within this program. In addition, the guide contains the following - Suggested Instructional Notes and Student Learning Goals
Teacher's Guide for Boy Scouts v Dale - the Gay Scout Master Case: This Teacher's Guide for Boy Scouts v Dale, the Gay Scoutmaster Case has been prepared to aid the teacher in utilizing materials contained within this program. In addition, the guide contains the following - Suggested Instructional Notes and Student Learning Goals
Teacher's Guide for Citizens United v FEC - The Campaign Finance Reform Case: This Teacher's Guide for Citizens United v FEC - The Campaign Finance Reform Case has been prepared to aid the teacher in utilizing materials contained within this program. In addition, the guide contains the following - Suggested Instructional Notes and Student Learning Goals
Teacher's Guide for Garcetti v. Ceballos - The Whistleblower Case: This Teacher's Guide for Garcetti v. Ceballos - The Whistleblower Case has been prepared to aid the teacher in utilizing materials contained within this program. In addition, the guide contains the following - Suggested Instructional Notes and Student Learning Goals
Teacher's Guide for United States v Stevens - The Dog Fighting Case: This Teacher's Guide for United States v Stevens - The Dog Fighting Case has been prepared to aid the teacher in utilizing materials contained within this program. In addition, the guide contains the following - Suggested Instructional Notes and Student Learning Goals
Teacher's Guide for US v American Library Association - The Internet Pornography Filtering Case: This Teacher's Guide for US v American Library Association - The Internet Pornography Filtering Case has been prepared to aid the teacher in utilizing materials contained within this program. In addition, the guide contains the following - Suggested Instructional Notes and Student Learning Goals
Teacher's Guide for Van Orden v Perry and McCreary County v ACLU of Kentucky - The Ten Commandments Cases: This Teacher's Guide for Van Orden v Perry and McCreary County v ACLU of Kentucky - The Ten Commandments Cases has been prepared to aid the teacher in utilizing materials contained within this program. In addition, the guide contains the following - Suggested Instructional Notes and Student Learning Goals
Teacher's Guide for Zelman v Simmons Harris - The School Voucher Case: This Teacher's Guide for Zelman v Simmons Harris - The School Voucher Case has been prepared to aid the teacher in utilizing materials contained within this program. In addition, the guide contains the following - Suggested Instructional Notes and Student Learning Goals
The Alien and Sedition Acts: A written transcript of the The Alien and Sedition Acts passed in 1798
Transcript of Oral Argument for Garcetti v Ceballos: Written transcript of Oral Argument for Garcetti v Ceballos case before the U.S. Supreme Court
Transcript of Oral Arguments for Bartnicki v Vopper: Written transcript of Oral Arguments for Bartnicki v Vopper case before the U.S. Supreme Court
Transcript of Oral Arguments for Boy Scouts of America v Dale: Written transcript of Oral Arguments for Boy Scouts of America v Dale case before the U.S. Supreme Court
Transcript of Oral Arguments for Citizens United v FEC: Written transcript of Oral Arguments for Citizens United v FEC before the U.S. Supreme Court
Transcript of Oral Arguments for McCreary County v ACLU of Kentucky: Written transcript of Oral Arguments for McCreary County v ACLU of Kentucky case before the U.S. Supreme Court
Transcript of Oral Arguments for US v American Library Association: Written transcript of Oral Arguments for US v American Library Association case before the U.S. Supreme Court
Transcript of Oral Arguments for US v Stevens: Written transcript of Oral Arguments for US v Stevens before the U.S. Supreme Court
Transcript of Oral Arguments for Van Orden v Perry: Written tTranscript of Oral Arguments for Van Orden v Perry case before the U.S. Supreme Court
Transcript of Oral Arguments for Zelman v Simmons-Harris: Written transcript of Oral Arguments for Zelman v Simmons-Harris case before the U.S. Supreme Court
Transcription for Boy Scouts of America v. Dale - The Gay Scout Master Case
Transcription for Bartnicki v Vopper: The Illegal Digital Intercept Case
Transcription for Garcetti v Ceballos: The Whistleblower Case
Transcription for U.S. v American Library Association: The Internet Filtering Case
Transcription for Zelman v. Simmons-Harris: The School Voucher Case
Transcription for Van Orden v. Perry and McCreary County v. ACLU of Kentucky: The 10 Commandments Cases
Transcription for Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission: The Campaign Finance Reform Case
Transcription for United States v. Stevens: The Dog Fighting Case

"Each similarly structured program features legal scholar David L. Hudson Jr. introducing the featured case before main arguments are presented through dramatizations. Following the decision, the verdict is discussed and debated by various experts. Video and audio resolution is extremely high, with the mix of dramatizations and onscreen commentaries adding visual variety."

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