The First Amendment prevents Congress from passing any laws that abridge the freedom of speech. But what does that actually mean? In this presentation, professor Meg Mott considers the history of speech laws in the United States, how states and municipalities have tried to curb offensive speech, and how the Supreme Court has ruled on those efforts. Read More »

Present-day Vermont has a reputation for offering a peaceful break from the hectic stress of discord elsewhere. However, Vermont’s history doesn’t align with this perception. In this lecture, Philip Crossman looks at the turmoil of early Vermont and examines how political, cultural, religious, and personal contentions were imported from older colonies, modified in Vermont, and then exported elsewhere. Read More »