The Bill of Rights
Explained
Amendment I
• Freedom of Speech
• Freedom of Religion
• Freedom of the Press
• Freedom of Assembly
• Freedom of Petition
Amendment II
• The right to own a firearm.
Amendment III
• People are not required to quarter
(house) soldiers.
Amendment IV
• Protects people from unreasonable
searches and seizures.
• Most of the time a warrant is needed
to conduct a search.
Amendment V
• Before a trial for a major crime occurs, a
grand jury must decide if there is enough
evidence to proceed.
• You do not have to testify against yourself
(“Take the fifth.”)
• You can’t be tried for the same crime
twice.
• Citizens are guaranteed due process of law.
• Property cannot be taken from citizens
without payment.
Amendment VI
• Right to a speedy and public trial
• Right to a trial by jury
• Right to be informed of the charges
against you.
• Right to listen to and ask questions)
witnesses against you.
• Right to a lawyer. If one cannot afford
one, one will be provided.
Amendment VII
• The right to trial by jury in certain
cases that involves money and
property
Amendment VIII
• Protects the accused from excessive
bail being set. Bail is what the
accused pays the court to guarantee
that they will appear in court on a
future court date.
• Protects people from cruel and
unusual punishment.
Amendment IX
• To write down every single right
people deserve would be too difficult.
• The ninth amendment implies that
people have more rights than the
ones that are listed in the Bill of
Rights.
Amendment X
• Any power that is not specifically given to
the Constitution, is given to the states.
• The Constitution mentions nothing about
marriage, traffic violations, or the public
school system. This amendment keeps
decisions about many issues local.