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Bill of Rights Chapter 4
Bill of Rights Chapter 4
Focus
Which rights do you think are the most important to you?
Agenda
Why do we have a Bill of Rights?
First 10 Amendments
Other Amendments that protect our rights
Why a Bill of Rights?
Federalists – Supporters of the Constitution who favored a strong national government Alexander Hamilton,
James Madison, and John Jay published a series of articles known as the Federalist Papers to get people to support the Constitution
Why a Bill of Rights?
The accumulation of all powers legislative, executive and judiciary in the same hands, whether of one, a
few or many, and whether hereditary, self appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny. – Federalist Papers No. 47
Why a Bill of Rights?
Antifederalists – People who opposed the Constitution and did not support a strong federal government
Why a Bill of Rights?
Some people were afraid that states might not ratify, or approve the Constitution without a Bill of Rights.
Thomas Jefferson Stated that a Bill of
Rights was the only way to prevent the government abusing people’s rights
Afraid government would abuse rights like King George
Why a Bill of Rights? Alexander Hamilton thought
that a Bill of Rights was unnecessary
Argued that the nation did not need laws to prevent the government from doing things that the Constitution gave it no power to do
James Madison introduced 12 amendments to protect rights in 1791
10 Amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, adopted
Bill of Rights
First 10 Amendments to the Constitution Protects the basic
rights of citizens
Became a symbol of human rights and freedom around the world
10
Bill of Rights – 1st Amendment
1st Amendment – guarantees religious and political freedomsFreedom of religion
Prevents government from establishing a state government or favoring one religion over another
Separation of church and state – clear division between government and religion
Bill of Rights – 1st Amendment
Freedom of speech Right to express
one’s ideas without fear of punishment
Limits to free speech (slander, false panic, treason, etc.)
Freedom of the Press People can publish
their ideas
Bill of Rights – 1st Amendment
Freedom of Assembly Right to form and belong
to groups and to gather together peacefully
Political rallies, demonstrations, political organizations, labor unions
Freedom to Petition Right to tell members of
the government what they want to be done
Bill of Rights – 1st Amendment
Graffiti: Freedom of Speech?
Bill of Rights – 2nd Amendment
2nd Amendment – Right to bear arms Debate over what
this means – private ownership?
Bill of Rights – 2nd Amendment
“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be
infringed.”
"I ask, Sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people. To disarm the people is the best and most
effectual way to enslave them."George Mason
Co-author of the Second Amendmentduring Virginia's Convention to Ratify the
Constitution, 1788
Bill of Rights – 3rd Amendment
3rd Amendment - Prohibits the government from forcing people to house soldiers Military cannot force
people to quarter soldiers
Prevents things like the Quartering Act
Bill of Rights – 4th Amendment
4th Amendment - Protects from unreasonable searches and seizures Cannot enter and
search a person’s home without reason
Cannot arrest someone without just cause
Police need probable cause and a warrant
Bill of Rights – 4th Amendment It's My Locker
Ms. Jones: Peter and Patty, please open your lockers. It has been reported to the office that you brought pagers to school. You know it is against the rules to have a pager at school.
Peter: I do not have a pager in my locker. I will not open this locker without you getting a search warrant.
Patty: I also do not have pagers in my locker. Unless you have a search warrant, you have no right to search my locker.
Ms. Jones: I have here the combinations to both of your lockers. If you will not open the lockers for me, I will open them on my own.
Peter: If you find anything, you cannot use it against me to punish me.
Patty: Don't you know anything about the Fourth Amendment? You can't just search anywhere that you want. This is my private locker.
Bill of Rights – 5th Amendment
5th Amendment - Person accused of a crime will not be denied life, liberty, or property without due process. 5 partsIndictment by a Grand Jury
Does the evidence suggest that the person committed the crime?
Protects against self-incriminationHaving to testify against oneself.
Bill of Rights – 5th Amendment
Protects against double jeopardy Being tried twice for
the same crime.
Due process Government must act
within the law
Eminent domain Government can take
property for public use as long as they give fair compensation.
Bill of Rights – 5th Amendment
Eminent Domain in the news
Bill of Rights – 6th Amendment
6th Amendment – Rights of an accused person Know the nature of
the charges Right to know what
they are accused of
Know the Witnesses Right to know who
will act as witnesses. They can also provide their own witnesses.
Bill of Rights – 6th Amendment
Right to a Speedy Trial and Impartial Jury Date of trial set and
an unbiased jury
Right to a Lawyer Right to have some
defend them. If they cannot afford one, the government will provide them with one.
Bill of Rights – 6th Amendment
6th Amendment Video
Bill of Rights – 7th Amendment
7th Amendment – Trial by jury in civil case Cases not dealing
with crimes
Bill of Rights – 8th Amendment
8th Amendment – Protects against imprisonment or punishment that is excessive Excessive bail
Bail, or posting a cash guarantee, permits the person to go free until their trial.
Cruel and Unusual Punishment Penalty should fit the crime
Bill of Rights – 9th Amendment
9th Amendment – People have rights that aren’t mentioned in the Constitution Can’t possibly list
every single right, but wanted to let people know they had other rights.
Bill of Rights – 10th Amendment
10th Amendment – Powers not given to the federal government are given to the states or the people Stops the US
government from taking more power than the Constitution gives it.
Balance power between State and Federal governments
Bill of Rights
Other Amendments – Civil Rights
13th Amendment – Abolished slavery
14th Amendment – Citizenship to African Americans and every citizen has equal protection under the law
Other Amendments - Voting Originally, some white
men, women and African Americans were not allowed to vote
15th Amendment – Cannot deny voting based on race or color
17th Amendment – Direct election of senators Previously, the state
legislature elected senators
Increased direct representation
Other Amendments - Voting
19th Amendment – Cannot deny voting based on gender Susan B. Anthony
Carrie Chapman
Women’s Suffrage Movement
23rd Amendment – Residents of Washington DC the right to vote for President and Vice President
Other Amendments - Voting
24th Amendment – Banned use of poll taxes Poll tax – tax a person had
to pay to register to vote
Tried to prevent African Americans from voting
26th Amendment – Decreased voting age to 18 Previously was 21.
During Vietnam War, soldiers stated that if they were old enough to die for their country, they should be old enough to vote.
