What was the significance of the John Peter Zenger trial?
The trial of John Peter Zenger, which was held in New York City in 1735, established the first victory for freedom of the press (the right of newspapers to print truthful information) in the American colonies. Zenger was a German-born printer and journalist who published the New-York Weekly Journal, a newspaper that provided a political forum for colonists who opposed the policies of New York governor William Cosby. Zenger began his career as an apprentice at the New York Gazette, the official newspaper of the colonies. When prosperous colonial businessmen became dissatisfied with Cosby, they approached Zenger about publishing another newspaper. With their backing, Zenger edited and published the first Weekly Journal on November 5, 1733. Because articles contained harsh criticism of Cosby, the angry governor burned several…
