Constitutional RightsC. 13 s.1

All Americans have Basic Rights

• What are Human rights?• Human rights are fundamental freedoms

• Freedoms for all people • Idea of Human Rights is the basis for

United States Democracy• What might be an example of

a basic right?Ex. Freedom of Religion

“WE THE PEOPLE”

• The US Constitution guarantees the rights of the American citizens

• Citizens grant their own rights• How?

• Citizens share a common faith and power to create or change the government.

Constitutional Rights

• Bill of Rights- guarantees basic rights to citizens• Government cannot

abuse its power and deny citizen rights

• Framers believed- “Endowed by Creator with certain unalienable rights”

“Congress shall make no law…”

At first….

•The Bill of Rights only protected citizens from federal government.

Today…

•Bill of Rights protects citizens from laws of national, state, and local government

Incorporation

• A process that extended the Bill of Rights to all levels of government.

• Why is incorporation important to citizens?• Citizens in every part of the country have

the same rights• Proves Constitution is a living document

•What is a living document?

Constitution did not originally include a Bill of Rights

• Constitution drafted in 1787

• Many states had their own Bill of Rights

• Federal gov didn’t think it was necessary to include another Bill of Rights

• Many states were suspicious of Constitution, refused to approve unless a Bill of Rights was added

• 1789, James Madison proposed amendments, became B. of R. in 1791

14th Amendment1. Post Civil War2. Expanded

individual rights3. Made individual

rights national4. Defined

Citizenship- a person born or naturalized in the US is a citizen of the nation and state

14th Amendment

• Read along and answer “How does the 14th amendment affects YOU????”

• “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizen of the United States, nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law…”

Supreme Court• Gitlow v. New York

• 1925• Supreme Ct. ruled

that freedom of speech was a basic right that no state could deny to a citizen

• Member of Socialist party

• Published and circulated materials advocating a massive strike and creation of socialist system

To what extent does the liberty that we enjoy depend upon you and me as individuals?

Check for Understanding

1. What does the 14th amendment do?2. Do people have an influence on what

rights they have?3. What are human rights?4. What is the meaning of “Living

Document”?5. Incorporation extends the Bill or Rights

to…A. Local, State, and Federal gov.B. State gov.C. Federal gov.