LAD # 2: The Zenger Trial

1. Who was John Peter Zenger?

• German, moved to New York in 1710 to apprentice for William Bradford
• began to publish a newspaper to voice opposition to colonial governor William Cosby

 2. What was the controversy over his charges?

• when he was charged with seditious libel for writing many defamatory things about the governor, he was put on trial
• during the trial, the prosecution said that the reason why he should be convicted was because he decided to publish those defamatory stories
• this challenges the freedom of speech, which is why it's controversial
• Zenger's lawyer, Andrew Hamilton, said that because the stories were true, it was not libel
• "Hamilton established the precedent that a statement, even if defamatory, is not libelous if it can be proved, thus affirming freedom of the press in America." (http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/bookmarks/zenger/)

3. What influence did his case have on American governmental tradition?

• affirmed freedom of the press
• " set a precedent against judicial tyranny in libel suits." (http://historybuff.com/library/refzenger.html)

4. What is the lasting significance of his trial? Explain.

set many precedents

let people speak/publish without fear of being prosecuted

changed the colonies by letting people publish their opinions