1 The United States of America Constitution Bill of Rights Amendments I - X

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TheTheUnited States of United States of

AmericaAmerica

ConstitutionConstitution

Bill of RightsBill of RightsAmendments I - XAmendments I - X

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AmendmentsAmendments

• Contents of amendments are Contents of amendments are very differentvery different

• Amendments 1 – 10 deal with Amendments 1 – 10 deal with rights that many felt should have rights that many felt should have been included in the main body been included in the main body of the Constitutionof the Constitution– Called the Called the Bill of RightsBill of Rights

IntroductionIntroduction

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• Other Amendments deal with Other Amendments deal with changes in the American Societychanges in the American Society– slavery, prohibition, women’s slavery, prohibition, women’s

rights, etcrights, etc


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• The US Constitution, the Bill of The US Constitution, the Bill of Rights, & the Declaration of Rights, & the Declaration of Independence Independence – All on display at the National All on display at the National

Archieves in Washington, DCArchieves in Washington, DC


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Bill of RightsBill of Rights

• 1.1. Freedom of Freedom of religionreligion

• 2.2. Freedom of Freedom of speechspeech– Right to speak without fear of Right to speak without fear of

punishmentpunishment

• 3.3. Freedom of Freedom of presspress– right of newspapers to print whatever right of newspapers to print whatever

they feel is newsworthy without they feel is newsworthy without censorshipcensorship

Amendment I (1)Amendment I (1)

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• 4.4. Freedom of Freedom of assemblyassembly– Right to gather in a groupRight to gather in a group

• 5.5. Right of Right of PetitionPetition– Right to ask the government to Right to ask the government to

change thingschange things

Amendment I (1)Amendment I (1)

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Bill of RightsBill of RightsPeople are guaranteed People are guaranteed

these freedoms so far as these freedoms so far as they do not take away the they do not take away the

freedoms of othersfreedoms of othersThe first 10 amendments The first 10 amendments

have been subjects of many have been subjects of many court casescourt cases

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• Gives the right to bear armsGives the right to bear arms

• Americans are allowed to own Americans are allowed to own gunsguns

• Controversy todayControversy today– What types of weapons should be What types of weapons should be

allowed to own and use for allowed to own and use for protection and hunting?protection and hunting?

Amendment II (2)Amendment II (2)

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• Brady BillBrady Bill– Possibly goes against the Possibly goes against the

ConstitutionConstitution

Amendment II (2)Amendment II (2)

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• Outlaws quartering of soldiersOutlaws quartering of soldiers– In private houses and without In private houses and without

permissionpermission

• Prohibits this practice in peacetimeProhibits this practice in peacetime

• Authorizes Congress to pass a law Authorizes Congress to pass a law concerning quartering of soldiers concerning quartering of soldiers in wartimein wartime

Amendment III (3)Amendment III (3)

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• Outlaws unreasonable search & Outlaws unreasonable search & seizureseizure

• Must have a search warrant to search– Document issued by a judge to a sheriff

for the purpose of getting evidence concerning a crime

• Protects us from being wrongly arrested or searched

Amendment IV (4)Amendment IV (4)

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• Basic Legal Protection Basic Legal Protection AmendmentAmendment

• 4 Basic Areas4 Basic AreasGrand JuryDouble JeopardySelf-IncriminationDue Process of Law

Amendment V (5)Amendment V (5)

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• 1.1. Grand JuryGrand Jury– A group of people to decide if

there is enough evidence for a trial•Cannot try someone for a serious

crime without an indictment by a grand jury

•If there is enough evidence, they will issue an Indictment

– A formal charge against a person


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• 2.2. Double JeopardyDouble Jeopardy– A person cannot be tried twice for

the same crime

– Once found innocent, a person cannot be tried later for the same crime•Even if more evidence is found


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• 3.3. Self-IncriminationSelf-Incrimination– A person does not have to witness

against himself/herself


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• 4.4. Due Process of LawDue Process of Law– Cannot take away one’s life, liberty

or property without going through proper steps in laws

– If government takes the property, then they must pay the owner a fair price


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• Protects the rights of the Protects the rights of the accusedaccused– A person has the right to a fair, fast,

and public trial

– A person has the right to be present in court

– A person has a right to be represented by a lawyer•Even if a person cannot afford a lawyer

Amendment VI (6)Amendment VI (6)

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• Right to a trial by a juryRight to a trial by a jury– a group of peersa group of peers

• Right not to have a jury but Right not to have a jury but rather let a judge decide the rather let a judge decide the casecase– In cases involving more than $20

Amendment VII (7)Amendment VII (7)

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• Protects from paying excessive Protects from paying excessive bailbail– Money given to be released from jailMoney given to be released from jail– Money returned when the person Money returned when the person

appears in court for the trialappears in court for the trial• Protects from punishment cruel Protects from punishment cruel

and unusual waysand unusual ways– Tortured or punished in ways that is Tortured or punished in ways that is

not humanenot humane•Different opinions to what is or is not Different opinions to what is or is not

cruelcruel

Amendment VIII (8)Amendment VIII (8)

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• The “etcetera” amendmentThe “etcetera” amendment– The rights that are not listed in the The rights that are not listed in the

Constitution will be given to the Constitution will be given to the peoplepeople

Amendment IX (9)Amendment IX (9)

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• The powers that are not The powers that are not specifically listed in the specifically listed in the Constitution will be given to Constitution will be given to the states and its peoplethe states and its people– i.e. educationi.e. education

Amendment X (10)Amendment X (10)

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They are a very important They are a very important addition to the US addition to the US

ConstitutionConstitutionWithout certain freedoms Without certain freedoms like religion, speech, or like religion, speech, or public trials these rights public trials these rights

might have been lost in the might have been lost in the passage of timepassage of time

Documents

1 The United States of America Constitution Bill of Rights Amendments I - X