Amendments

To the U.S. Constitution

The Bill of Rights

Amendments 1 through 10

How do you expect to be treated?Introductory Video

Written by James Madison after a call from

several states for individual protections from the government

Remember the arguments between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists—Madison was an Anti-Federalist

He was influenced by George Mason, author of The Virginia Declaration of Rights

This Bill of Rights LIMITS the powers of our government

Background Information

Guarantees the freedom of religion, speech,

press, and peaceable assembly Religion: we can practice or not practice any

beliefs Speech: we can share what we think about the

government (but we cannot tell lies or incite panic)

Press: we can print what we think about the government

Peaceable Assembly: we can hold demonstrations if we go through the right steps

The 1st Amendment

Religion What should we do when “the enemy” is represented in America?

Speech Where should we draw the line? Should there be a line?

Peaceable Assembly

What are you willing to protest? What steps should we have to go through to be protected by this amendment?

Press Involves much more today that ever expected!What do we really need to know?

Guarantees the right to bear arms The actual wording: Amendment II: 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.

Today, we have so much controversy about what this means A state Army Weapons for hunting The ability to defend ourselves Simple versus high powered guns

The 2nd Amendment

Should people have weapons at all? Are any weapons unacceptable? Should there be rules about who can have them? Should there be rules about how we acquire

them? Should people be able to carry them around? Is it alright to conceal weapons? Do legal and illegal weapons contribute to crime?

Who should make these rules?

Some of the Issues

Should we own guns?For Against

The 3rd Amendment

Not really an issue now, but was quite common in Colonial America

The 4th Amendment

Freedom from unreasonable search and seizure

Police need a warrant to search your property, but if they have a good enough reason they can search you

Things to consider Stop and frisk Searching a

home Searching a car Phone taps Looking through

garbage on the curb

Social media

The 5th Amendment

Due Process: there has to be some serious evidence to even accuse a person of a crime; grand juries will make this decision

Plead the Fifth: we don’t have to incriminate ourselves

No Double Jeopardy: we can’t be tried for the same crime twice

The Patriot Act: passed by Congress and signed by

President Bush in 2001 Allowed the government to detain immigrants, listen

in on phone conversations, and search homes and businesses; was a response to the 9/11 attacks

The National Defense Authorization Act: passed by Congress and signed by President Obama each year Newest provision allows for indefinite incarceration

Are these violations of the 5th Amendment?

Consider These:

The 6th Amendment

If you’re accused of a crime, what rights do you have? A speedy trial A public trial An impartial jury A court appointed attorney The right to

confront/question witnesses and the accuser

Regarding civil cases—where one person sues

another person If it involves more than $1500 (the

Constitution says $20), it has to be held before a jury; otherwise it’s settled in small claims court

A person cannot go to jail because of a civil case

7th Amendment

8th Amendment

We need to have an appropriate bail

No cruel or unusual punishment

Is Capital Punishment Constitutional?

It reads: The enumeration in the

Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Some call this the Silent Amendment because there is some power in it’s lack of words

In 1958, Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson wrote that the rights protected by the Ninth Amendment "are still a mystery."

The 9th Amendment

Powers not granted to the Federal Government

are left up to the individual states.

What are some issues that could be involved?

This is where we stand right now with same-sex marriage.

The 10th Amendment

Bill of Rights in 30 Seconds

You can do a better job than that! Write a script and act it out.

Video: hand trick ?