Question

____ was a printer who was prosecuted for seditious libel because s(he) refused to reveal the names of anonymous authors whose writings were critical of the governor of new York.

a. Ben Franklin
b. Martha Franklin
c. Thomas Paine
d. John Zenger

Answer 1

John Zenger was the printer prosecuted for seditious libel in a landmark case that underscored the importance of free press in American society.

Step-by-step explanation:

The printer who was prosecuted for seditious libel for refusing to reveal the names of anonymous authors who wrote critically about the governor of New York was John Zenger. He was the publisher of the New York Weekly Journal and was arrested and charged in 1735 under the orders of colonial governor William Cosby.

Zenger's trial was a pivotal moment for freedom of the press in the colonies. His lawyers, including Andrew Hamilton, successfully argued that a statement is not libelous if it is true, leading to a verdict of not guilty for Zenger.

This case affirmed the vital role of a free press in American society, setting a precedent for future legal standards regarding press freedom, as evidenced in later cases such as the New York Times v. Sullivan.