This essay traces the history of the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment freedoms of assembly and petition--the "right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." These freedoms had their origins in English law and were included in a number of colonial and then state constitutions prior to their incorporation into the Bill of Rights. The limits of the freedoms of assembly and petition and how the Supreme Court has defined such limits are discussed. The essay raises the question of how to balance the freedoms provided by the First Amendment with the harm that is done by persons claiming to exercise their First Amendment rights when these rights are used to assault the beliefs and sensitivities of vulnerable minorities--racial, ethnic, sexual, religious or whatever they may be. (DB)