PROCESS - Part 1

The First Ammendment to the United States Constitution covers many basic freedoms related to the peoples' right to free expression, including the freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion. By visiting several web sites, you will explore some of the complexities of how this "freedom of religion" has been interpreted by the courts.

Researching some of the pivotal Supreme Court cases should enable you to develop some convincing arguments for your recommendations to the Athenian State Government on how it should have handled the trial of Antigone.

For each of the steps below, you should read the questions, visit the web site, and answer the questions on your answer sheet. Record any and all information you feel will help you to develop your recommendations.

Step A:
In order to understand the importance of religious freedom in the world today, you should look at how our current views have changed over the years. There is a great deal of historical information in the web site below, but you should focus primarily on the trends and changes that have taken place in the last 50 to 60 years.
Click on this link to help you answer the following questions on your answer sheet:
http://www.csmonitor.com/cgi-bin/getasciiarchive?script/1999/12/16/p11s1.txt

• What world event moved the world to proclaim human and religious rights as universal?
• What has been the recent trend regarding religious freedom?

Step B:
This site gives you an overview of “religious liberty as defined by U.S. Supreme Court cases.” The most important section for you is the discussion of the “Free Exercise Claus” which you will find about half way into the site.
Click on this link to help you answer the following questions on your answer sheet:
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment01/

• In what ways has the Supreme Court been consistent or inconsistent in allowing people to carry out actions in the name of their religion when these actions may, in fact, conflict with governmental regulations or laws?
• What do you feel the Supreme Court’s rulings say about how the Athenian State Government handled the trial of Antigone?

Step C:
One clear example where the US Supreme Court upheld the separation of religious practice from Government (state) regulation is the case of Wisconsin v. Yoder. This case gives you the opportunity to examine in depth and develop arguments on one or both sides of the case. Please complete as much of the material as you can. Of greatest relevance to your Antigone web quest (the sections you must review) are The Facts of the Case, the Arguments, the Precedents, and the Decision.

**Important: When you go to the website through the link below, click on the CompuLEGAL link to review the case material.
http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/rel/rel5.html

• How does the central religious freedom issue in this case (education) compare to the central issue (place of burial) in Antigone?
• What element of the Decision in the Yoder case will be most useful to you as you frame your recommendations for the Athenian State government?

Step D.
Though the First Amendment to the US Constitution is very clear about barring governmental (state) regulation of religious beliefs, there are related issues in which the Supreme Court has been inconsistent.
Again, this is an extensive site. You can, however, find most of what you need under the first two sections titled “Free Exercise of Religion” and “The Belief-Conduct Distinction.”
Click on this link to help you answer the following questions on your answer sheet:
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/crs1sta5.htm#20

• With regard to what issues (related to the peoples’ right of free religious expression) has the Supreme Court given inconsistent rulings?
• How does this inconsistency relate to the issue presented in Antigone?

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