Zenger Trial The Trial of John Peter Zenger was a momentous event that not only impacted the colonies and questioned the act of seditious libeling but also brought about the new notion of freedom of speech in the press. His courage and daring determination to challenge someone in such a imperative place of power was an inspiring moment to the people of the colonies and overseas in Great Britain. John Peter Zenger was a German Born, American Printer and Journalist who started the New York Newspaper named The New York Weekly Journal. Although Mr. Zenger started out his career with an eight year apprenticeship in New York under William Bradford, he relocated to Maryland to take on actual paid print-work. In 1722 he returned to New York and
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Zenger's first Journal that talked about the Governor was published on November 19, 1733. In the Journal, Mr. Zenger explains that the loss of liberty and freedom would soon affect the press because they, in some terms, speak for the people. Trying to hold back the press for any reason would cause destruction within the economy because the citizens need to be informed about what is going on in a truthful light and not in a way that is fabricated by the government. He is directing this article straight toward the government but saying that no past civilizations lost the ability to speak or write freely. Mr. Zenger knows that anyone in power that had true integrity would not fear the likes of the press and what they could do. The people of the province would not feel that the press was being restrained and that they were being told the whole truth and not just part of it. “In short, I think, every man of common sense will judge that he is an enemy to his king and country who pleads for any restraint upon the press.” The way that Mr. Zenger writes the article implies that the governor is not a man of integrity and should fear the press. In a follow up Journal, also written in November, Mr. Zenger once again discusses freedom of the press. The difference in this article is that he goes onto explain the differences of Monarchies and how they would react to the notion of freedom of the press. Although Mr. Zenger completely supports Freedom of the Press, he feels that the press sometimes uses these instances to their advantage, just to sell paper. The people don’t always care about the truth, they just want to see what's going on. Mr. Zenger strongly feels that the press should thoroughly collect information before publishing content “and therefore very few good ministers can be hurt by falsehood.” While writing this Journal, I think his main focus was to tell his audience that what he was printing was not false and that all though he was tarnishing the reputation
Zenger's first Journal that talked about the Governor was published on November 19, 1733. In the Journal, Mr. Zenger explains that the loss of liberty and freedom would soon affect the press because they, in some terms, speak for the people. Trying to hold back the press for any reason would cause destruction within the economy because the citizens need to be informed about what is going on in a truthful light and not in a way that is fabricated by the government. He is directing this article straight toward the government but saying that no past civilizations lost the ability to speak or write freely. Mr. Zenger knows that anyone in power that had true integrity would not fear the likes of the press and what they could do. The people of the province would not feel that the press was being restrained and that they were being told the whole truth and not just part of it. “In short, I think, every man of common sense will judge that he is an enemy to his king and country who pleads for any restraint upon the press.” The way that Mr. Zenger writes the article implies that the governor is not a man of integrity and should fear the press. In a follow up Journal, also written in November, Mr. Zenger once again discusses freedom of the press. The difference in this article is that he goes onto explain the differences of Monarchies and how they would react to the notion of freedom of the press. Although Mr. Zenger completely supports Freedom of the Press, he feels that the press sometimes uses these instances to their advantage, just to sell paper. The people don’t always care about the truth, they just want to see what's going on. Mr. Zenger strongly feels that the press should thoroughly collect information before publishing content “and therefore very few good ministers can be hurt by falsehood.” While writing this Journal, I think his main focus was to tell his audience that what he was printing was not false and that all though he was tarnishing the reputation