Bill of Rights Amendments 1-10 Why is a Bill of Rights Necessary?

Amendment Definition: A formal change to the Constitution, which requires 3/4 vote by all states in order to be inacted.

Bill of Rights 1st Amendment - Freedom of speech, press, religion, assembly, petition. 2nd Amendment - State Militias and right to bear arms shall not be infringed. 3rd Amendment - No quartering of soldiers in private homes during a time of peace. 4th Amendment - Protection against illegal searches and seizures. 5th Amendment - Right to remain silent, right to due process, protection against double jeopardy.

6th Amendment - Right to a speedy and public trial 6th Amendment - Right to a speedy and public trial... Right to face his/hers accuser... Right to counsel or defense attorney. 7th Amendment - Civil suits... Right to sue for $$$ damages. 8th Amendment - No excessive bail... No cruel and unusual punishment. 9th Amendment - People have certain rights not listed in the Constitution. (enumerated rights) 10th Amendment - States have power to create own laws if not listed in the Constitution.

1st Amendment Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, and Assembly. The 1st Amendment protects the civil liberties of individuals in the United States. The Amendment freedoms are not absolute. They are limited by the rights of other individuals.

2nd Amendment Right to Bear Arms The purpose of this amendment is to guarantee states the right to keep militia.

3rd Amendment Quartering of troops This amendment is based on the idea that people have a right to privacy in their own homes. This amendment reflects the anger that colonists had against the British government for housing troops during the American Revolution.

4th Amendment Searches and Seizures This also reflects the anger colonists had against the British government. Britain used writs of assistance to seek out smuggled goods. Americans wanted to make sure that searches and seizures would be conducted only when a judge felt that there was “reasonable cause”

5th Amendment Rights of Accused Persons No Double Jeopardy -A person may not be tried for the same crime more than once. Soldiers - A member of the military is subject to military law and is tried in a court martial. Right to Remain Silent - You may not be forced in any criminal case to be a witness against yourself. You may refuse to answer questions on the grounds that the answers may incriminate you.

6th Amendment Right to a Speedy, Fair Trial Speedy Trial - ensures that an accused person will not be held in jail for a lengthy period of time as a means of punishing the accused without a trial Fair Trial - a trial must be conducted in front of an impartial jury and evidence must be presented on both sides before a verdict is given. Counsel - Legal counsel must be provided for a defendant.

7th Amendment Civil $uits In civil suits where one person sues another for more than $20, a jury trial is provided. This allows people to sue another for money.

8th Amendment Bail - Is money that an accused person pays to the court as a guarantee that he or she will be present for trial. This amendment ensures that neither bail nor punishment is cruel and unusual.

9th Amendment Powers Reserved to the People People’s rights are not limited to those listed in the Constitution. example - we have the right to socialize, go to restaurants, listen to CDs, read our history book, tune Mrs. Jennings out.

10th Amendment Rights Reserved to the States This amendment protects the states and the people from an all-powerful government. The states retain all the powers except those denied them or those specifically granted to the federal government.

Why is a Bill of Rights Necessary? The Bill of Rights... Protects our individual rights and liberties against unfair actions from the government. It offers citizens equal treatment under the law. It allows us our basic freedoms.

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