Which rights are protected by the First Amendment?

• A. Freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition
• B. Right to bear arms
• C. Right to a speedy trial
• D. Privacy rights

Answer: (A)

The First Amendment protects five specific rights: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and the right to petition the government. These protections are written together as the core list of freedoms the government cannot infringe, which is why the option that names all five is the best answer. The other rights mentioned come from other parts of the Constitution—bearing arms is a Second Amendment right, a speedy trial is a Sixth Amendment right, and privacy rights are protected in various ways by different amendments and court interpretations rather than as an explicit First Amendment listing. So, the five explicit freedoms listed are exactly what the First Amendment safeguards.