Final answer:
The work that was written to defend the freedom of the press is "Areopagitica" by John Milton. "Areopagitica" is a speech that argues against the censorship of books and defends the importance of intellectual freedom.
Step-by-step explanation:
The work that was written to defend the freedom of the press is “Areopagitica” by John Milton. “Areopagitica” is a speech that argues against the censorship of books and defends the importance of intellectual freedom. In this work, Milton passionately advocates for the free expression of ideas and the importance of open discourse.