Freedom of the press is important because it gives journalists the right to speak their minds and tell the truth to the public. Also, freedom of the press is the first amendment out of ten in the U.S. Constitution. Freedom of the pressed originated in American in colonial times. In colonial times, there was a man name John Peter Zenger who printed a newspaper called The New York Weekly Journal. He criticized Governor William S.Cosby and his wrong doings. The newspaper had said that the elections were rigged. Zenger was taken to jail for telling the truth because the government did not like the truth. It was believed that in order for a democracy to exist, people have a right to write about the government, even in a negative way. Zenger ended up going free. His lawyer argued that people have the right to know the truth. In a democracy, we the people have a right to rule our country. A democracy is a type of government where the people rule. The people can only rule if they are well informed.