What is the First Amendment?

The full text of the First Amendment, from the United States Constitution, is as follows:

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.

Basically, the First Amendment guarantees a variety of civil liberties and restricts the government from interfering with freedom of speech, the free exercise of religion, the freedom to assemble, the right of privacy, and the separation of church and state. The courts have interpreted, and in some cases, limited, these freedoms in certain circumstances. The First Amendment only pertains to actions of the government. In other words, private corporations or individuals can – and often do – violate First Amendment freedoms, without repercussion.