Civil Liberties: Freedom of Assembly

Question 1

Without this freedom there would be no political parties and no interest groups to influence the action of government.

a. freedom of religion
b. freedom of assembly
c. freedom to libel
d. freedom to slander

Answer 1

b. freedom of assembly

Question 2

This case is one example that helped to establish the “clear and present danger” doctrine in terms of an individual’s freedom of association.

a. DeJonge v. Oregon
b. Gregory v. Chicago
c. Whitney v. California
d. Feiner v. New York

Answer 2

c. Whitney v. California

Question 3

freedom of assembly

Answer 3

right to gather

Question 4

What is needed in order to be able to picket on public property?

a. at least 20 people
b. controversial topic
c. permits
d. pay a fee in order to have that right

Answer 4

c. permits

Question 5

The unusually large sum of money that the city of Skokie, Illinois demanded that the Nazi’s post:

a. was upheld by the court
b. was paid by the Nazi’s
c. was reduced by half
d. was struck down by the court

Answer 5

d. was struck down by the court

Question 6

Which of the following is not a reason, reserved by the U.S. government, to stop a demonstration?

a. unfavorable speech
c. violence
b. destruction of property
d. committing of crimes

Answer 6

a. unfavorable speech

Question 7

Labor unions have the right to

a. veto public law.
b. picket.
c. use the heckler’s veto.
d. use violence when on strike.

Answer 7

b. picket.

Question 8

Without this basic freedom, there would be no political parties.

a. freedom of religion
b. freedom of the press
c. freedom to libel
d. freedom of assembly

Answer 8

d. freedom of assembly

Question 9

True or False

“It is one thing to say that the police cannot be used as an instrument for the suppression of unpopular views, and another to say that, when as here the speaker passes the bounds of argument and undertakes incitement to riot, they are powerless to prevent a breach of peace.”
—Chief Justice Fred M. Vinson, 1951

Chief Justice Fred M. Vinson’s writings in Feiner v. New York conclude that freedom of speech must be protected at all costs, including a breach of the peace.

Answer 9

false

Question 10

Holocaust survivors in Skokie illustrated a free speech and assembly problem called the

a. public veto law.
b. freedom of assembly veto.
c. heckler’s veto.
d. parade permit law.

Answer 10

c. heckler’s veto.

Question 11

______________ protects the right to make views known by petition, letters, lobbying, picketing, or marching.

a. Freedom of assembly
b. Freedom of the press
c. The Second Amendment
d. A state constitution

Answer 11

a. Freedom of assembly

Question 12

The ______ veto involves limits on the free speech of unpopular groups by potentially violent public reaction.

a. heckler’s
b. picketer’s
c. president’s
d. slanderer’s

Answer 12

a. heckler’s

Question 13

labor union’s right

Answer 13

picketing

Question 14

The 1966 Supreme Court ruling in Adderly v. Florida denied demonstrators access to what public property?

a. libraries
c. swimming pools
b. schools
d. county jails

Answer 14

d. county jails

Question 15

How do property rights affect the freedom of assembly?

a. Property rights have no effect. People are allowed to assemble anywhere as a means of protecting this right.
b. The government has created designated location where people are allowed to assemble. Protests cannot take place anywhere but these designated locations.
c. Permission must be granted by the respective government through the use of permits and other regulations.
d. Permission for a group to assemble only needs to be given by the property owner.

Answer 15

c. Permission must be granted by the respective government through the use of permits and other regulations.

Question 16

In DeJonge v. Oregon (1937), the Supreme Court established that the right of
____________
was as important as the rights of free speech and free press.

Answer 16

assembly

Question 17

“The authority of a municipality to impose regulations in order to assure the safety and convenience of the people in the use of public highways has never been regarded as inconsistent with civil liberties.”
—Chief Justice Charles Evan Hughes, 1941

In which of the following Supreme Court cases—dealing with the freedom of assembly—did the Court uphold the law based on the fact that the parade would disrupt the lives of other citizens?

a. Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union
b. Bigelow v. Virginia
c. Cox v. New Hampshire
d. Adderly v. Florida

Answer 17

c. Cox v. New Hampshire

Question 18

In Thornhill v. Alabama (1940), the Court ruled that peaceful picketing was a form of

Answer 18

free speech

Question 19

In 1972 the Court ruled that Vietnam War protesters did not have the right to gather in a(n)
____________ because it was private property.

Answer 19

shopping mall

Question 20

How might the exercise of freedom of assembly conflict with individual rights and freedoms?

Answer 20

Because assemblies can occur in parks, streets, and other public places, they can interfere with people’s rights to use those facilities. For example, a protest group might block a sidewalk and restrict the access of passersby.

There are limitations on your exercise of freedom of assembly, just as with some other rights ensured in the amendments. Parades and demonstrations are regulated and you need some type of permit in order to conduct them. Labor unions sometimes perform picketing in front of businesses that they are trying to convince customers/workers to boycott. Picketing can come in conflict with the rights of the business because they are picketing on the business’ property, however, the labor unions have the right to exercise their freedom of speech. Since picketing conveys a message, it is considered a form of speech and assembly.