When the Founding Fathers sat down to write the Declaration of Independence and the Gettysburg Address in the late 1700's, they made sure that the First Amendment protected the right to free speech and that the Fourth Amendment protected the right to privacy.

1 answer

It seems there may be a bit of confusion in your statement regarding the timeline and authorship of these significant historical documents. The Declaration of Independence was adopted in 1776, primarily authored by Thomas Jefferson, while the Gettysburg Address was delivered by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 during the Civil War.

The First Amendment of the Bill of Rights, which was ratified in 1791, does indeed protect the right to free speech, among other rights. The Fourth Amendment also protects against unreasonable searches and seizures, which is a fundamental aspect of privacy rights.

So, to clarify:

  1. The Declaration of Independence (1776) does not contain constitutional protections; it was a statement declaring the colonies' separation from Britain.
  2. The First Amendment (1791) is part of the Bill of Rights and explicitly protects free speech and other fundamental rights.
  3. The Gettysburg Address (1863) is a speech emphasizing the principles of human equality and the sacrifices made in the Civil War but does not directly address constitutional amendments or rights.

Let me know if you have any further questions or need more details!