A Brief Summary of the Bill of Rights. The First Amendment protects freedom of religion and freedom of speech and of the press. It also protects the right of peaceful assembly and to petition the government. The Second Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms, for the purpose of maintaining a militia.onetheless, most of the important rights contained in the Bill of Rights have been incorporated under this theory. Only a few have been held not to apply, such as the right to bear arms, the right to a grand jury indictment, and the right to a jury trial in civil cases.