"The opinions of men are not the object of civil government, nor under its jurisdiction."
-Thomas Jefferson

"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."

The First Amendment was written in large part because colonists had, for so long, been unable to complain freely about the British government. The framers felt that, if free speech were unabridged, the people could always raise enough ruckus that necessary course corrections could be made by the government. Additionally, freedom of the press was specifically mentioned because the Founding Fathers believed, if all else failed, the press would keep an eye on things of and by the government, and inform the people accordingly. In fact, the founders relied so heavily upon this notion that the press is sometimes referred to as "The Fourth Estate", an unofficial nod to their collective equality of importance with the three actual branches of government. The assembly clause of the First Amendment not only provides for assembly but has also been interpreted in the courts to mean freedom of association as well.