Constitutional Law
Research Assignment
Ms. Valentin
The Bill of Rights and Amendments to the Constitution:
The passage of the Bill of Rights insured the ratification of the Constitution for the
states that wanted guarantees that states’ rights and individual liberties would be
protected under the new government provided by the new Constitution. Over the
years, other Amendments were added to address emerging issues, concerns and
necessary reforms.
TASK:
 Choose one of the amendments. For amendments with numerous rights, you
may choose one of the rights (such as the first amendments in the Bill of
Rights).

Research information about the origin and passage of the Amendment.
o Who proposed it? Wrote it?
o What were the politics of passage? How did it get onto the
Constitution? Which states supported it? Opposed it? Why?
o How did it ultimately get ratified onto the Constitution? When?
o After ratification, how has the amendment served to protect the rights
it was supposed to protect?
Your research should include at least 2 primary sources and 4 secondary
sources.

Prepare a presentation (powerpoint, Presi, etc.) showing your research. You
should be limited to 10 slides.

Write an essay discussing what the passage of the Amendment reflects about
American politics, values, etc. and the extent to which the Amendment has
served its original purpose. (See Guidelines on Next page)
The presentations are due on Monday, Sept. 22. (50 points). Presentations will
begin on Monday, Sept. 22.
The essay is due on Mon., Sept. 29. (50 points)
Bill of Rights Assignment – Part II Essay
As we have seen from our reading, the passage of the Bill of Rights was not an easy
road. It was a path fraught with political controversy and shifts. Federalists, like
James Madison, who initially saw no need for the Bill, pushed for it as politically
expedient in order to obtain support for the Constitution from the states that
demanded it. Some Anti-Federalists that initially demanded a Bill of Rights ended up
declaring that the Federal government had more urgent matters than to deal with
the Bill. When the states ratified 10 of the 12 proposed amendments, Madison stated
“that the adoption of the Bill of Rights, ‘will kill the opposition everywhere, and by
putting an end to dissatisfaction with the Government itself, enable the
Administration to venture on measures not otherwise safe.’ “ To what extent was / is
this true?
Peter Irons goes on to argue:
“ As Justice Robert Jackson wrote in 1943, ‘The very purpose of a Bill of Rights was
to withdraw certain subjects from the vicissitudes of political controversy, to place
them beyond the reach of majorities and officials and to establish them as legal
principles to be applied by the courts.’ ”
--Peter Irons, A People’s History of the Supreme Court. NY: Penguin Books. 1999. p. 82.
Using your research (on your chosen amendment) and your assigned readings from
class, write an essay in which you analyze the extent to which the right you
researched (free speech, freedom of religion, equal protection, etc., etc.) has been
protected from shifts in political opinions and has been established as an “absolute”
(unchanging) legal principle.
You should examine the cases / case law you discussed in your presentation in
order to answer this question. To what extent has the right changed in application /
interpretation from the time it was first established? (THESIS)
The paper should be between 2 – 3 pages, 1.5 or double-spaced, 1” margins. 50
points.
Due: Monday, Sept. 29 – hardcopy in class.
On TurnitIn.com by Monday 8am. I will provide the account information on School
Wires.