The US Bills of Rights

Contributed by:
Steve
This booklet describes the US bill of rights and its amendments which will help us to learn and gain knowledge about the functions of the government and about its various policies.
1. The U.S. Bill of Rights
2. 1st Amendment
• The 1st Amendment guarantees freedom of
religion, speech, the press, assembly, and petition.
• This means that we all have the right to:
• practice any religion we want to
• to speak freely
• to assemble (meet)
• to address the government (petition)
• to publish newspapers, TV, radio, Internet (press)
3. 2nd Amendment
• The 2nd
Amendment
protects the right
to bear arms.
• This means we have
the right to own a
gun.
4. 3rd Amendment
• No Quartering of Soldiers
• “No soldier shall, in time of peace be
quartered in any house, without the
consent of the owner, nor in time of war,
but in a manner to be prescribed by law.”
• This means that we cannot be forced to
house or quarter soldiers.
5.
6. 4th Amendment
• The 4th Amendment protects the people
from unreasonable searches and seizures.
• This means that the police must have a
warrant to enter our homes. It also means
the government cannot take our property,
papers, or us, without a valid warrant based
on probable cause (good reason and/or
suspicion).
7.
8. 5th Amendment
• Due Process
• The 5th Amendment protects people from
being held for committing a crime unless
they are properly indicted, (accused)
• You may not be tried twice for the same
crime (double jeopardy)
• You don’t have to testify against yourself
in court. (Self-incrimination)
9. Miranda Warning
Background
• Established 1967
• Ernesto Miranda arrested in Phoenix for kidnapping
& rape
• Confessed verbally & in writing of his criminal
activities w/ no knowledge of rights
• Supreme Court overruled his conviction
• Retried & found guilty anyways
• Police are required to inform detainee of rights
during arrest as a result of case
10.
11. 6th Amendment
• Speedy and Public Trial
• The 6th Amendment
guarantees a speedy trial
(you can’t be kept in jail for
over a year without a trial)
• an impartial jury (doesn’t
already think you are guilty)
• that the accused can
confront witnesses against
them
• the accused must be allowed
to have a lawyer
12. 7th Amendment
• Citizens guaranteed to a trial by jury
• The 7th Amendment guarantees the right
to a speedy civil trial.
• A civil trial differs from a criminal trial. A
civil trial is when someone sues someone
else. A criminal trial is when the state tries
to convict someone of a crime.
13. 8th Amendment
• No excessive bail or
cruel and unusual
punishment
• The 8th Amendment
guarantees that
punishments will be
fair and not cruel,
and that
extraordinarily large
fines will not be set.
14. 9th Amendment
• Protection of Rights not mentioned in the
Constitution
• All rights not stated in the Constitution and
not forbidden by the Constitution belong to
the people.
• This means that the states can do what they
want if the Constitution does not forbid it.
• Ex: right to work, home ownership, education
15. 10th Amendment
• The 10th Amendment states that any
power not granted to the federal
government belongs to the states or
to the people.
• Ex: Driving age, speed limit, marriage
16. Review…
• 1) The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution are
known as what?
• 2) What is the purpose of this?
• 3) What 5 freedoms are discussed w/ in the 1st
Amendment?
• 4) Which amendment deals w/ state rights?
• 5) Which amendment discusses gun ownership among
citizens?
• 6) No unreasonable search or seizure is discussed in
which amendment?
• 7) What does the term double jeopardy mean?
• 8) What is an example of the 10th amendment?