John Peter Zenger Case Analysis

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Establishing political rights for citizens in the American colonies was sometimes a rocky process. In 1735, John Peter Zenger helped establish the right of freedom of the press. Zenger was a German immigrant, who went to work for a newspaper called; The New York Weekly Journal. Zenger and the Newspaper attacked corrupt officials in New York, by printing articles that told the truth about the actions of the officials. Zenger’s articles printed in the newspaper, but soldiers were ordered to burn the newspaper in the public square. John Peter Zenger was arrested and charged with libel, or making a false statement in writing to ensure a person 's reputation! Zenger 's trial forced the jury to answer this question: Should the press be