LAD #2: John Peter Zenger

1.) Who was John Peter Zenger?

-John Peter Zenger was a printer and an editor in the New York Weekly Journal. He arrived in the colony of New York in 1710 from Germany and was an apprentice of William Bradford of the New York Gazette. He printed articles that criticized the colonial Governor William Crosby, who had him arrested for these publications.



2.) What was the controversy over his charges? Talk about Hamilton's defense.

-Zenger's lawyer Andrew Hamilton admitted that while Zenger had taken part in the publication of articles criticizing the governor, he also said that these stories were merely attempts at bad-mouthing the official unless proven otherwise, as the persecution had already claimed that the evident publication was enough to convict Zenger. Hamilton appeal to the jury to take into account the law and the facts, and was able to get Zenger acquitted.



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

-This trial involved the use of the truth as a defense against slander. Hamilton's defense also became an example to be following in subsequent trails opposing tyranny in the regional and colonial governments.



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

-Zenger's trial and the defense of his lawyer proved to be a step forward with the idea of 'freedom of the press', successfully establishing the policy in the colonies. This was mainly a result of Hamilton's defense, in which he claimed that a single statement is not a lie exactly, unless proven otherwise.