Bill of Rights

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Bill of Rights

• 10 amendments intended to protect the individual
  rights of citizens
• Several states would not ratify until a Bill of
  Rights were added
• Written by James Madison with changes from
  congress

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Bill of Rights

• 1st Amendment
• Religious and political freedom
• Forms the foundation of the government
• Includes 5 freedoms religion, speech, press,
  assembly, and petition

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Bill of Rights

• 2nd Amendment
• Right to bear arms and maintain a militia
• Today, our militia is considered to be the
  National Guard

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Bill of Rights

• 3rd Amendment
• No quartering troops in time of peace
• After being forced to provide room and board for
  British troops, more states included this
  provision than freedom of speech.
• Considered a right of privacy.

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Bill of Rights

• 4th Amendment
• No unreasonable search and seizure
• The British ransacked homes and arrested
  Americans without warrants
• Again, protecting privacy

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Bill of Rights

• 5th Amendment
• Rights of accused persons
• Longest amendment in Bill of Rights
• Contains 5 rights

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• Right against self-incrimination
• Right to have serious charges presented to a
  grand jury
• Right to avoid being tried twice for the same
  offense
• Right to due process of law(fair treatment)
• Right to just compensation when private property
  is taken for public use

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Bill of Rights

• 6th Amendment
• Right to a speedy, public trial
• Added to ensure that criminal defendants received
  a fair trial

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Bill of Rights

• 7th Amendment
• Trial by jury in civil cases
• Right to a jury in non-criminal matters, such as
  personal injuries or contracts
• Limits a judges power to overturn factual
  decisions by a jury

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Bill of Rights

• 8th Amendment
• Limits of fines and punishments
• Prohibits excessive bail
• Prohibits excessive fines
• Prohibits cruel and unusual punishment

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Bill of Rights

• 9th Amendment
• Rights of People
• Unenumerated Rights Those rights not
  specifically listed in the Constitution

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Bill of Rights

• 10th Amendment
• Powers of states and people
• Protects powers of the states, not rights of the
  people

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Fundamental Principlesof the Constitution(7)

• Popular Sovereignty Who gives the government
  its power?
• A government in which the people rule
• We the people tells the source of the
  governments power.

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• Republicanism How are peoples views
  represented in Government?
• Based on this belief The people exercise their
  power by voting for their political
  representatives.
• Article 4, Section 4, calls for every state to
  have a republican form of Govt.

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• Federalism How is the power shared?
• Form of government in which power is divided
  between a central government and smaller
  political units, such as states.

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• Separation of Powers How is power divided?
• Framers were concerned that too much power might
  fall into the hands of a single group.
• Articles 1, 2, and 3 explain how powers are split
  among the 3 branches.

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• Checks and Balances How is power evenly
  distributed?
• Though the branches are separate, they rely on
  each other to perform the work of the government.
• The system makes sure that the branches work
  together fairly.

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• Limited Government How is abuse of power
  prevented?
• All citizens and leaders must obey the law.

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• Individual Rights How are personal freedoms
  protected?
• These are personal liberties and privileges.
• The Bill of Rights protect people from an overly
  powerful government.