This document discusses the Bill of Rights and examines the challenge of balancing individual rights with the needs of government. It outlines the key protections guaranteed by the first ten amendments to the US Constitution, including freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, protections against unwarranted search and seizure, self-incrimination, and the right to bear arms. It also notes some limitations and exceptions to rights like free speech. Students are tasked with exploring these issues through analyzing scenarios, debates, and news articles related to the amendments.

1. You’ve Got Rights!
SWBAT: Examine the challenge of
implementing the Bill of Rights while
finding a balance between individual
rights and the needs of government.

2. The Bill of Rights
The First 10 Amendments to the Constitution

4. 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)

5. Applying the 1st Amendment
• Identify which part of the first amendment
applies to these scenarios:
1.A magazine column criticizes the president.
2.Protestors gather outside of city hall.
3.People call a radio show to express their
thoughts on a public issue
4.Muslims go to a mosque without being
bothered
5.Citizens ask the government to change a tax
law

7. Exclusions to Free Speech
• Inciting Imminent Lawless Action
• Fighting Words (Inflammatory words)
• True Threats
• Obscenity
• Defamation (Libel vs. Slander)
• Invasion of Privacy
• Intentional infliction of emotional distress

9. 2nd Amendment
• The 2nd
Amendment
protects the right
to bear arms, which
means the right to
own a gun.

11. 3rd Amendment
• The 3rd Amendment says “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.

12. 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).

15. Critical Thinking Skills
• What limits does the 4th Amendment
place on law enforcement officials?

16. According to
Amendment V,
what is the
function of a
grand jury?
According to
Amendment V,
what is the
function of a
grand jury?

17. 5th Amendment
• 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)

19. 6th Amendment
• 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

21. 7th Amendment
• 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.

23. 8th Amendment
• The 8th
Amendment
guarantees that
punishments will be
fair and not cruel,
and that
extraordinarily
large fines will not
be set.

25. 9th Amendment
• 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.

26. In Table Groups
• Some lawyers say that the large
amount of media coverage of some
trials threatens the accused person’s 6th
Amendment rights.
• Conduct research to cite on some
recent cases and debate this issue:
– i.e.- Michael Jackson, Casey Anthony, OJ

28. 10th Amendment
• The 10th Amendment states that any
power not granted to the federal
government belongs to the states or
to the people.

29. • Review
Which of the following is NOT addressed
directly in the 1st Amendment?
• A.
the rights of citizens to petition the government
for redress of grievances
• B.
freedom of the press
• C.
the protection of the rights of those accused of
committing a crime
• D.
free exercise of religion

30. • Review-
Which of the following is an example of
symbolic speech that has been protected
by the Supreme Court?
• A.
flag burning
• B.
cross burning
• C.
obscenity
• D.
“fighting words”

31. Review-
According to the federal, state and local law, which of the
following is FALSE?
•A.
Your right to own a dog is balanced with the responsibility of
obtaining a license for it and supervising the dog in public.
•B.
Your right to listen to loud music at 2 a.m. trumps your
neighbor’s right to a quiet neighborhood.
•C.
Your school’s right to control and maintain an effective learning
environment trumps your right to free speech.
•D.
Your right to drive a car is balanced with the responsibility of
carrying insurance and obeying traffic laws.

32. Government Lab
• In Groups: Create a set of 2 scenarios
or situations that illustrate the freedoms
or rights in the first 10 amendments. Do
not state which amendment your
scenario is based upon. The class will
vote as a whole.

33. Homework
• In Pairs:
– Students will utilize Amendments I, II, IV
and V.
– Find an online source related to your
amendment
– Summarize the news article
– Tomorrow you will:
– Present your summary to the class
– Discuss the significance of these
amendments in our everyday lives