Texas v. Johnson (1989)
Forms of Political Protest

  1. Why do people protest?
    Gregory Lee Johnson burned the American flag as part of a political protest. Why was he protesting? What do other people protest?

  2. How do people protest?
    In the space below, list as many methods of protest as you can.

  3. Which methods of protest are legal and which are illegal?
    Take the methods listed above and list them in the appropriate columns below.
LEGAL METHODS OF PROTEST
ILLEGAL METHODS OF PROTEST
   


Your teacher will go over the answers.

Conclusion

If we live in a free country with free speech, why are some of these forms of protest illegal? How does the government determine which forms of protest are illegal?

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Diagram of How the Case Moved Through the Court System
 
Listen to the Oral Arguments
 
Key Excerpts from the Majority Opinion
 
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Activities
    The Case
What Is Symbolic Speech? When Is It Protected?
 
The Amendment Process
 
Forms of Political Protest
 
Political Cartoon Analysis: Hayworth the Bear
 
Data Analysis: How Do Americans Feel about a Constitutional Amendment to Protect the Flag?
 

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    After the Case
WebQuest: Should the United States Enact a Constitutional Amendment to Prohibit Flag Burning?
 

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