Got 'em all the first try. Good question. People tend to forget one of them. Then again, the gov'mint tends to forget all of them.

Oops, I forgot about the right to petition. I counted religion as two--non-establishment and free exercise.
Thanks for the brain exercise.

Got 'em all on the first try. Had to have the first amendment in front of me though so that might have been cheating.

I would like to hear some comments from you Bill regarding Bob Schulz' Right to Petition lawsuit against the government.

http://www.givemeliberty.org

Have you joined the class action lawsuit? Will you join the class action lawsuit? If so why, if not why not?

actually, it makes more sense to count it as either six (including two for religion) or three (religion, speech/press, and assembly/petition) freedoms rather than five.

"press", as it appears in the first amendment, is simply an extension of the freedom to "speak" via other media, and is only marginally related to what we think of when we think of "press" today. (The word "press" was not even used as a synonym for journalism/newspapers until the early 19th century).

And the rights to assemble and petition are similarly related. Basically, its an extension of the right to free speech for individuals as found in the prior clause to collective speech.

Like TwoCents, the one I forgot was the right to petition. Of course, since I consider government as an integral function of, rather than an enemy of, my community, I might have less cause to *formally* petition.

Think of it in small-town terms: if you elect your neighbor to be mayor, or commissioner, or sheriff, even, does that person cease to be your [friend and] neighbor? No. Government "of the people, for the people, by the people." Lincoln hisself..

Free speech rights belong to the people...

Joe, If your neighbor who is elected Mayor, makes a decision that you disagree with or the other citizens vote to enact a law that adversely affects you wouldn't you want the freedom to petition for reconsideration? The Mayor's responsibilities extend beyond your friendship and any reconsideration should be "formal" so as to clearly show a lack of individual bias in any decision. Open government is a requirement of For the people, by the people ... . The freedom or right to petition insures the government is ultimately controlled by the governed.

All five, first try, and in less than 30 seconds. Oddly, my only hitch, albeit a brief one, was freedom of press, which I guess was too close to speech for my brain to separate out.

Despite several attempts, I've been unable to memorize any of the ten amendments, aside from two.

Next quiz: name the five protections enumerated in amendment five. It's quite a mixed bag, even without the exception.

I'd've failed that one completely. I can't keep four, five, and six straight at all.

I know the First Amendment by heart, so it was more a matter of how strictly to separate the freedoms. I was initially thinking of the two religion clauses as two separate freedoms, but the right to assemble and petition as one.

I don't know the Fifth Amendment by heart, but I believe the protections there are against double jeopardy, self-incrimination, takings of property without just compensation, loss of life, liberty or property without due process. and something else I can't put my finger on. Maybe grand jury indictments for capital crimes. Unless that's in the Sixth.

Actually, there's six. There is the prohibition of an establishment of religion (the establishment clause) and the protection for the free excercise of religion (free excercise clause). Thus, the government cannot impose a state religion, nor can it prevent you from worshipping as you wish (within limits.)
That's actually two freedoms.