Which rights are protected by the First Amendment?

• A. Right to bear arms
• B. Protection against unreasonable searches
• C. Religious freedom, speech, press, assembly, and petition
• D. Cruel and unusual punishment

Answer: (C)

The main idea being tested is the set of protections the First Amendment provides. It safeguards five fundamental freedoms: religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition. This combination is what the First Amendment guarantees, so naming all five together shows exactly what it protects. In practice, religious freedom means you can choose your faith or practice no religion at all; speech lets you express ideas and opinions; the press can report news and information; assembly allows people to gather peacefully; and petition gives you a way to ask the government to address your concerns or to change laws.

Other choices line up with rights from different amendments. The right to bear arms is a Second Amendment protection; protection against unreasonable searches is a Fourth Amendment issue; and cruel and unusual punishment is addressed by the Eighth Amendment.