Summary
American history is marked by various assemblies, gatherings, marches, and demonstrations, as well as organizations, societies, political parties, advocacy groups, and also declarations, petitions, grievances, and the growth of administrative agencies. Americans have used these outlets to voice their support and opposition to government policies as lawmakers have attempted to decide which actions to protect and which to punish. The “right of the people peaceably to assemble” was granted in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights along with freedom of speech and the press. Freedom of assembly in its various manifestations serves as an integral part of American history and is one of the rights most often exercised by many Americans.
Topics include:
- Dangers faced by slaves and free blacks who tried to assemble, whether to worship, learn, or organize to gain rights
- Challenges faced by the women’s suffrage movement as it held mass protests
- Protests to wars, including the Civil War, World War I, Vietnam War, and Iraq War
- The creation of labor unions
- Issues raised over people’s right to gather and demonstrate during the Republican National Convention
- Virtual and actual assembly in the age of Web sites such as Meetup.com, MoveOn.org, and others
- and much more.
The book is enhanced by 25 black-and-white photographs, 13 maps and graphs, margin quotations, box features, a glossary, a chronology, an appendix of document excerpts, a further reading list for young adults, a bibliography for adults, and an index.