Citizenship: Rights and
Responsibilities
Unit 2 Study Guide
Citizenship: Rights and
Responsibilities
One of the responsibilities of US citizens is to serve
on a jury when called upon.
Citizenship: Rights and
Responsibilities
A person who becomes informed on all candidates
running for office before voting is exercising the
responsibilities of good citizenship.
Citizenship: Rights and
Responsibilities
Due process of law guarantees that people have a
right to a fair trial by jury.
Citizenship: Rights and
Responsibilities
Bill of Rights
Citizenship: Rights and
Responsibilities
Bill of Rights
The founding fathers of the United States did not
know what types of events would happen in years
to come. For this reason, they gave future
generations the ability to change the Constitution.
This idea is known as amending the Constitution.
In order to change the Constitution, an
amendment must be passed with a two-thirds
vote in Congress and a three-fourths vote by the
different states. The Constitution has 27
amendments.
Citizenship: Rights and
Responsibilities
Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights is the name of the first ten
amendments to the U.S. Constitution. They were
written to protect the rights of individual people.
In 1790, Congress submitted 12 amendments, 10
of which were adopted in 1791. Three-fourths of
the states had to approve of the Bill of Rights in
order for it to be adopted.
Citizenship: Rights and
Responsibilities
Bill of Rights
Amendment 1
Protects:
•Freedom of religion.
•Freedom of speech.
•Freedom of the press.
•Right to assemble (gather in a group to protest).
•Right to petition (tell the government if it is
doing something wrong).
Citizenship: Rights and
Responsibilities
Bill of Rights
Amendment 2
Protects the right to bear arms (keep guns for
protection).
Citizenship: Rights and
Responsibilities
Bill of Rights
Amendment 3
Protects the owner of a house from having to let
soldiers spend the night for free.
Citizenship: Rights and
Responsibilities
Bill of Rights
Amendment 4
Protects people from unreasonable searches and
seizures.
Citienship: Rights and Responsibilities
Bill of Rights
Amendment 5
Protects people from:
•Double jeopardy (being tried in court twice for the
same crime).
•Having to witness against themselves ("taking the
fifth").
•Losing life, liberty, or property without a legal action,
such as a trial.
•Being punished for a capital (serious) crime without
being charged by a Grand Jury.
Citizenship: Rights and
Responsibilities
Bill of Rights
Amendment 6
Protects:
•Right to a speedy and public trial.
•Right to know what crime he/she is charged
with.
•Right to have help from a lawyer.
•Right to see the witnesses against him/her.
Citizenship: Rights and
Responsibilities
Bill of Rights
Amendment 7
Protects the right to a trial with a jury.
Citizenship: Rights and
Responsibilities
Bill of Rights
Amendment 8
Protects from cruel or unusual punishment.
Citizenship: Rights and
Responsibilities
Bill of Rights
Amendment 9
Says that the people also get rights not listed in
the Constitution.
Citizenship: Rights and
Responsibilities
Bill of Rights
Amendment 10
Says that any rights that are not given to the
national government are given to the states and
people.
Citizenship: Rights and
Responsibilities
The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution in
1791 to guarantee basic freedoms and not allow
the federal government to take away their rights
like king George III did.