Ch. 15: The Bill of Rights Vocabulary: amendments, bail, citizen, ratify, Constitution

The Bill of Rights Originally, the Constitution outlined the ideas that the founding fathers had for the country. But soon, they discovered that they had to limit the amount of power that each branch of the government had or the states would not ratify it. They made a list of 10 amendments to the Constitution that outlined the rights that people had in the United States of America. They called the 10 amendments the Bill of Rights.

The Bill of Rights In order to add or subtract an amendment, two-thirds of the Senate, and then two-thirds of the House of Representatives must approve it. In addition, it takes three-fourths of the states to agree to add a new amendment to the Constitution. At first, the House of Representatives said that 17 of the amendments were to be the first Bill of Rights. The Senate cut it down to twelve. The states then looked at it and only agreed on ten of the amendments in the original Bill of Rights. Now there are 27 amendments in the Constitution.

The First Ten Amendments: Amendment I Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. What it means: the government cannot make you go to a certain type of church, tell what to say or not to say, or tell you that you cannot get together with a group of other people, and if you don’t like what a person in the government says, you should get a piece of paper and have other people sign it and they will do something about your concern.

The First Ten Amendments: 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. What it means: the states can keep a group of soldiers who are willing to fight for them, but not the United States, the citizens of the united States are also allowed to own weapons.

The First Ten Amendments: Amendment III 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. What it means: You don’t have to keep soldiers in your house if you don’t want to, unless there is a war and the government says it is necessary.

The First Ten Amendments: Amendment IV The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. What it means: If the police want to come into your house and look around they can do it if you let them, or if they have a piece of paper called a search warrant.

The First Ten Amendments: Amendment V No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. What it means: If you are arrested, the police and the courts cannot make you testify against yourself, put you in jail without a trial, put you on trial for the same thing twice, or take your stuff without paying for it..

The First Ten Amendments: Amendment VI In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense. What it means: You do not have to wait in jail for years before you finally can go to trial, you have a right to see the person who is accusing you of breaking the law, and you can have a free lawyer if you cannot afford one.

The First Ten Amendments: Amendment VII In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law. What it means: If you are arrested for a crime worth more than twenty dollars you can have a jury trial instead of just seeing a judge.

The First Ten Amendments: Amendment VIII Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. What it means: Everyone will pay about the same for their bail, and will receive about the same punishments for breaking the law.

The First Ten Amendments: Amendment IX The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. What it means: The Federal government and the State governments cannot take the rights in the Constitution away from any citizen.

The First Ten Amendments: Amendment X The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people. What it means: The states can give citizens other rights, too, if they want to, and if it’s not against the law, it’s probably okay.

Questions about Chapter 15 1.What does the Bill of Rights do? 2.Which amendments are called the Bill of Rights? 3.How much of the Senate, and then the house of Representatives must approve a new amendment? 4.How many states must approve an amendment before it can go into effect? 5.What does the first amendment guarantee the rights of?