In 1735 a German-born printer in New York named John Peter Zenger was thrown in prison and charged with libel and sedition after publishing a scathing pamphlet criticizing the corruption of the administration of Governor William Cosby. The court was rigged by Gov. Cosby to convict Zenger, but he was ultimately acquitted. The Zenger case would later became the basis for the First Amendment to the Constitution guaranteeing Freedom of the Press.—frankfob2@yahoo.com
The story of John Peter Zenger who fought British rule in the American colonies and printed materials against King George III. This case is important to American historians and champions of the First Amendment because it represented a strong repudiation of British libel law and also marked an important fissure in the relationship between the American colonies and the mother country.—GusF