[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 110th Congress]
[110th Congress]
[House Document 109-157]
[The United States Constitution]
[Page 90]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 90]]
 
AMENDMENT RATIFIED

   articles in addition to, and amendment of, the constitution of the 

  united states of america, proposed by congress, and ratified by the 

      several states pursuant to the fifth article of the original 


                       constitution\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------




  \1\ The first 10 amendments to the Constitution of the 
United States were proposed to the legislatures of the several States by 
the First Congress on September 25, 1789 (this date and the date 
succeeding amendments were proposed is the date of final congressional 
action--signature by the presiding officer of the Senate--as is shown in 
the Senate Journals). They were ratified by the following States, on the 
dates shown, and the notifications by the governors thereof of 
ratification were communicated by the President to Congress: New Jersey, 
November 20, 1789; Maryland, December 19, 1789; North Carolina, December 
22, 1789; South Carolina, January 19, 1790; New Hampshire, January 25, 
1790; Delaware, January 28, 1790; New York, February 27, 1790; 
Pennsylvania, March 10, 1790; Rhode Island, June 7, 1790; Vermont, 
November 3, 1791; and Virginia, December 15, 1791. Ratification was 
completed on December 15, 1791. The amendments were subsequently 
ratified by Massachusetts, March 2, 1939; Georgia, March 18, 1939; and 
Connecticut, April 19, 1939.


                              AMENDMENT I.






Sec. 208. Freedom of religion, of speech, and of 
peaceable assembly.

  Congress  shall make no law respecting an establishment of 
religion, or prohibiting the 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.