3. Agenda
Why do we have a Bill of Rights?
First 10 Amendments
Other Amendments that protect our
rights
4. 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
5. 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
6. Why a Bill of Rights?
Antifederalists –
People who
opposed the
Constitution and did
not support a strong
federal government
7. 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
8. 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
9. 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 freedoms
Freedom 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
11. 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
12. Bill of Rights – 1st Amendment
Freedom of Assembly
Right to form and belong
to groups and to gather
together peacefully
Political
rallies, demonstrations, p
olitical
organizations, labor
unions
Freedom to Petition
Right to tell members of
the government what
they want to be done
13. Bill of Rights – 1st Amendment
Graffiti: Freedom of Speech?
14. Bill of Rights – 2nd Amendment
2nd Amendment –
Right to bear
arms
Debate over what
this means – private
ownership?
15. 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 Amendment
during Virginia's Convention to Ratify the
Constitution, 1788
16. 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
17. 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
18. 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.
19. Bill of Rights – 5th Amendment
5th Amendment - Person accused of
a crime will not be denied
life, liberty, or property without due
process. 5 parts
Indictment by a Grand Jury
Does the evidence suggest that the person
committed the crime?
Protects against self-incrimination
Having to testify against oneself.
20. 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.
21. Bill of Rights – 5th Amendment
Eminent Domain in the news
22. 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.
23. 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.
25. Bill of Rights – 7th Amendment
7th Amendment
– Trial by jury
in civil case
Cases not dealing
with crimes
26. 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
27. 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.
28. 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
30. Other Amendments – Civil Rights
13th Amendment –
Abolished slavery
14th Amendment –
Citizenship to
African Americans
and every citizen
has equal protection
under the law
31. 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
32. 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
34. 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.
Editor's Notes
1. Who is right? Patty and Peter? The principal?2. If the principal does not find anything, does this mean she violated Patty's and Peter's Fourth Amendment rights? 3. Did the principal need a reason to search their lockers? 4. See T.L.O. v. New Jersey. (In this case, the U.S. Supreme Court held that if the school had probable cause to believe that a school rule had been broken, a search could be made.)
