What is the significance of the First Amendment with speech and press?

The First Amendment plays a large role in speech and press. Think about this, without the amendment what would we even be allowed to say? The constitutions first amendment states “Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech or of the press”. (Vivian 429) By stating so, the United States government is bonded by law in a way that they cannot control what we say or what the mass media says in the press. Without this, the government would be able to censor what we say about them in ways that would take away our right to freedom. In countries such as China, their government has the right to even block certain websites from their citizens that they feel will be detrimental to their nations image. This takes away those peoples rights to voicing and viewing what may possibly be their real opinions on their nation.
We are lucky enough that in our country we have this amendment because it allows for equality and balance in our press. It allows for their to be supporters and activists on government topics which leaves the facts to the people who can then formulate their own opinions. Without our nations First Amendment, we would be a much different country where we would only be able to say and publish items in which the government agrees with.