1. The Bill of Rights The First 10 Amendments to the Constitution
James Madison wrote the Bill of Rights after being convinced by Jefferson
Approved in 1791-give all Americans basic rights that can’t be taken away

2. 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) peacefully
to address the government (petition)
to publish newspapers, TV, radio, Internet (press)

3. Limits on Free Speech Cannot endanger the safety of others Examples:
Yelling “fire” in a movie theatre to cause a panic
Saying “bomb” on an airplane to scare other people
Reporters can’t intentionally spread lies to try to damage someone’s reputation

4. Limits on Protests / Meetings
The First Amendment DOES NOT give people the right to protest violently
Parades, protest marches, and political rallies, as long as they are peaceful meetings / demonstrations, can occur on public property under the First Amendment

5. Separation of Church & State
Government & religion must remain separate
In 1971 S.C. case Lemon v. Kurtzman, Court ruled that a law that used public tax $ to pay for books & teachers’ salaries at private religious schools in Pennsylvania was unconstitutional

6. 2nd Amendment
The 2nd Amendment protects the right to bear arms, which means the right to own a gun.
Must be an adult in order to register the gun (illegal to own otherwise)

7. 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.

8. 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).

9. 4th Amendment Cont.
Cannot be arrested / property searched unreasonably / without good cause
In most cases, a police officer does not have time to receive a warrant from a judge & return to a car, etc. & doing so would endanger his or her safety so the officer needs a good reason to search property before receiving the warrant

10. 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)

11. 6th Amendment
The 6th Amendment guarantees a speedy trial (you can’t be kept in jail for long periods of time 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

12. 7th Amendment
The 7th Amendment guarantees the right to a jury trial in all but the most minor civil cases
A civil trial differs from a criminal trial. Civil trial = disputes between people or businesses over $, property, or family matters such as divorce.
Criminal trial is when the state tries to convict someone of a crime.

13. 8th Amendment
The 8th Amendment guarantees that punishments will be fair and not cruel, and that extraordinarily large fines will not be set.

14. Death Penalty
In the 1976 S.C. case Gregg v. Georgia, the Court ruled that the punishment of death for murder does not violate the 8th Amendm.
Still debated today: some people argue that executing anyone is a cruel and unusual punishment

15. 9th Amendment
All rights not stated in the Constitution and not forbidden by the Constitution belong to the people.
Example: Right to Privacy

16. 10th Amendment
The 10th Amendment states that any power not granted to the federal government belongs to the states or to the people.

17. Powers Shared The Federal System Powers Delegated to National
Government
The Federal System
Powers Reserved
to States
Regulate interstate & Foreign trade
Issue licenses
Establish foreign policy
Regulate trade
within state
Collect taxes
Create & maintain
armed forces
Charter banks
Establish &
maintain schools
Make copyright
& patent laws
Create courts
Establish local
governments
Coin money
Administer criminal justice /
Make and enforce laws
Declare War
Provide for public welfare
Make laws about
marriage & divorce
Admit new states
Powers Shared
Create federal courts
Conduct elections
Establish postal offices