Read the excerpt from the first amendment of the united states constitution. congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. at the time it was written, this clause originally applied to
(a) state law only.
(b) federal law only.
(c) state and federal law.
(d) local, state, and federal law.

Answering the question, at the time it was written, this clause originally applied to federal law only.

The first amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the government from creating any laws that control the establishment of religion, prevent the people from freely practicing religion, or that regulate the freedom of speech.

The first amendment also further prevents the government from creating any laws that will prevent the freedom of the press, the right to assemble peacefully or the right to complaint or petition the government to seek redress in of injustices.

The first amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted in 1791. The first amendment was, however, part of the ten amendments that make up the bill of rights.

Although the bill of Rights was included in the constitution to pacify the anti-federalist opposition that was against the creation of a powerful federal government.

However, federal law refers to a set of laws that are established by the federal government. A federal government can be defined as a group of political units such as provinces or states that unite in a federation.

The set of laws of the federal government are known as Federal law.

Thus, at the time the clause was written, it was originally applied to the federal law only.

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The correct answer is B. At the time it was written, the First Amendment only applied to federal law.

Explanation:

The First Amendment of the United States Constitution is a part of the Bill of Rights. It was adopted on December 15, 1791. It textually prevents the Congress from infringing six fundamental rights. Congress is prevented from establishing an official religion or giving preference to a particular religion, prohibiting the free exercise of religion;  limiting freedom of expression;  limiting freedom of the press;  limiting the right to free peaceful association;  limiting the right to petition the government.

Initially, the First Amendment only applied to federal laws promulgated by the United States Congress, and many of its provisions were interpreted in a much more restrictive manner than today. Since the ruling in Gitlow v. New York in 1925, the Supreme Court began applying the First Amendment to state laws; a process known as incorporation; through the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.