The Bill of Rights
The first 10 amendments + All the
Rest
To the U. S. Constitution
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc. All rights
reserved.
A System of Checks and Balances
Methods for Proposing and Ratifying
Amendments
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc. All rights
reserved.
Recent Unsuccessful Attempts to Amend
the Constitution
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc. All rights
reserved.
Who determines what the Bill of
Rights mean?
The Supreme Court makes rulings on the meaning
The Supreme Court balances the rights of the
individual with the needs of society
Individual??
Society??
Freedoms Guaranteed by the Bill of Rights
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc. All rights
reserved.
The 1st amendment
“5 rights”
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of Religion
Freedom of the Press
Freedom of Assembly
Right to petition the
government
Freedom of Religion
“Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion or prohibiting the free
exercise there of”
Two clauses:
Establishment clause - Ex . Church,
Temple
Free Exercise clause - Free speech.
Establishment and free exercise
clause often conflict with each other
In schools, the religion
issue is most prevalent
Establishment Clause—Government
cannot promote religion
Establishment clause-Government
Cans
Cannot
Teach about religions in
school
Allow voluntary prayer in
many examples
Transport students to a
religious school
Read Bible for culture or
literacy content
Set a state religion
Government cannot order
a prayer
Teach religious doctrine
in the school
Pay seminary teachers
Teach creationism
Free exercise of religion
Free Exercise—The person
Can
Cannot
Choose whatever religion
Lead a prayer in most
examples
Ask questions about
religions
Worship who ever you
want
Break the law and claim it
is religious belief
Raise children without
education
Deprave children of basic
needs
Freedom of speech
“Congress shall make no laws . . . abridging the
freedom of speech”
Free speech– The individual can:
Say any political belief
Protest (without getting out of control)
Say things about someone that are true
Burn the flag
Say racist and hate slogans
Free speech means someone might say something
you disagree with
Free speech—limits on the person
Threaten to blow up airplanes, schools or the
president
Sexual harassment
Create too much social chaos
Extremely crude language in a public form
Disrespectful, vulgar language in schools
Hate crimes
Freedom of the press
Congress shall make no
law . . . abridging . . . the
freedom of the press.”
Freedom of the press-the press
Can
Cannot
Print any political
Libel– intentionally
position
injuring a person’s
reputation by false facts
Make fun of people,
especially politicians
Disclose defense-security
secrets
Expose wrongs by the
government
Detail how to make a
certain weapons
Say things you might not
agree with
Freedom of Assembly
Congress shall make no law . . . Abridging . . .
The people to peaceably assemble”
Freedom of Assembly--Individual
Can
Cannot
Protest
Protest by throwing
Parade (with a permit) rocks and breaking
windows
Parade chanting hate
Hang out on private
slogans
land against owners
Gang members can
will—loitering
congregate in public
Teen curfew
Petition the Government
“Congress shall make no law . . . Abridging . . .
the people. . . to petition the government for a
redress of grievances”
Petition the government
You may sue the government for wrongs
You cannot be punished for exposing wrongs by
the government
The courts decide the wrongs
2nd Amendment—Right to bear arms
“A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the
security of a free state, the right of the people to
bear arms shall not be infringed.”
State Militia
Citizens Rights
What is the debate with the right to
bear arms?
How much can the
government keep guns
from criminals and youth?
In order to keep guns
away from criminals, does
that limit the right of law
abiding citizens?
Gun debate continued
Thousands of people die
every year because of
guns
Thousands of crimes are
prevented because of guns
Shoes representing gun deaths.
3rd Amendment
The Government
cannot force you to
shelter soldiers in your
home without your
consent in time of war
or peace.
Housing of Soldiers
Rights of the Accused
Amendments #4-8
Important to preserve freedom
4th Amendment
What does a
policeman need in
order to search your
home?
A warrant given to
him by a judge
Probable cause is also
needed
5th Amendment
You cannot be tried for the same crime twice—called
“Double Jeopardy”
You do not have to testify against your self. “I plead the
fifth”
You must have due process of law before you are
convicted
Eminent Domain: Governments right to take property for
public use. The government cannot take your land unless
it pays.
6th Amendment
Right to speedy
trial by impartial
jury—meaning
not favoring
either side
6th Amendment continued
You must be told of
charges
You must be provided
a lawyer if you cannot
afford one
7th Amendment – Trial by jury in civil cases
Jury Trial over $20.00
Right to a public trial
8th Amendment
• Excessive Bail or
Punishment not
allowed
• Ban on “cruel and
unusual punishment“
• Death Penalty – Is it
Cruel and Unusual?
• Gregg v. Georgia
(1976)
• Roper v. Simons
Prisoner kissing his Mom in prison (2005)
9th Amendment – Rights of People
Rights not mentioned in Constitution belong to
the people
Do you have the right to privacy?
10th Amendment
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.
“Powers not given to the national
government nor denied to the state belong to
the state.”
11th Amendment
can only sue a
state in state
court
12th Amendment
Electors vote
for President &
Vice President
together!
Civil War Amendments (13-15)
Amendment 13
Freed the slaves
“One-Three, I won’t work
for free.”
Amendment 14
Granted citizenship
to blacks
Provided “equal
protection under the
law” to all citizens
Amendment 15
Black men get the right
to vote (suffrage)
Amendment 16
Congress can levy
income taxes
“Because of sixteen, my
paycheck got lean.”
Amendment 17
Senators will be elected
by popular vote (directly
by the people)
Previously, senators
were elected by the state
legislature
Amendment 18
Alcohol is outlawed
Became illegal to buy,
sell, manufacture, and
consume alcoholic
beverages
Officially called
“Prohibition”
Amendment 19 (1920)
Women get the right to
vote (suffrage)
20th Amendment
President takes office (inaugurated) on
January 20th & ends “lame duck” Presidents
Congress begins the year’s meetings on
January 3rd
Amendment 21
Prohibition is repealed
“At 18 I was sober, at 21 I
got drunk”
Amendment 22
President is limited to
two full terms in
office
Twenty-Two
W
E
O
R
M
S
Amendment 23
Residents of Washington
D.C. get to vote for
president
“Twenty-Three, votes for
D.C.”
“Twenty-Third, D.C. is
heard.”
Amendment 24
Poll taxes are outlawed
“Twenty-Four, poll taxes
no more.”
Amendment 25
Succession of the president
SECTION 1.
In case of the removal of the President from
office or of his death or resignation, the Vice
President shall become President.
SECTION 2.
Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the
Vice President, the President shall nominate a
Vice President who shall take office upon
confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses
of Congress.
Amendment 26
Voting age is
reduced to age
18
Amendment 27
Congressional pay raises
will be delayed until the
start of the new term
Purpose—prevents
Congress from giving
themselves excessive pay
raises
The End
14th Amendment
Defines citizenship
Promises all citizens “equal
protection under the law”
Gets rid of the 3/5 Compromise
15th Amendment
Can’t be denied the right to vote b/c
of race, color or if you have been a
slave
African-American men can vote
16th Amendment
Income tax
17th Amendment
People vote directly for senators
18th Amendment
Prohibition – no alcohol
19th Amendment
Women can vote
20th Amendment
President takes office (inaugurated) on
January 20th & ends “lame duck” Presidents
Congress begins the year’s meetings on
January 3rd
21st Amendment
Repeals (gets rid of) Prohibition (18th
Amendment)
22nd Amendment
President can only serve 2 terms
23rd Amendment
Washington, D.C. can vote for President
24th Amendment
Bans the poll tax
25th Amendment
If President dies or resigns, the V.P. becomes
President
If the V.P.’s office is empty, the President can
pick another; Congress must approve him
26th Amendment
Voting age changed from 21 to 18
27th Amendment
Congress’s pay raises won’t go into affect until
after the next election


The judicial power of the United States shall not be
construed to extend to any suit in law or equity,
commenced or prosecuted against one of the United
States by citizens of another State, or by citizens or
subjects of any foreign state.
The 11th Amendment to the Constitution proposed in 1794
and ratified 339 days later, became effective in January 1798.
It limits federal court jurisdiction by providing that the
citizens of one state cannot bring suit in federal court against
the government of another state except by its consent, nor can
the subjects of any foreign country. This limitation was
extended later by the Supreme Court to include suits against
a state by its own citizens or by a foreign state. This
amendment, provoked by the Supreme Court's decision in
Chisholm v. Georgia (1793), reversed the part of Article III,
Section 2 of the Constitution, which extended federal
jurisdiction to such actions.

The amendment, however, places this constraint
only upon the power to bring "any suit in law or
equity, commenced or prosecuted"; it is not a
constraint upon the power of federal judicial review;
that is, it does not restrict the rights of individuals to
appeal a decision from the highest court of any state
to the U.S. Supreme Court in cases involving federal
laws or constitutional issues. Moreover, officers of a
state may not use the amendment for protection
against suits on grounds of individual performance.
Amendment XI - Judicial power of United
States not to extend to suits against a state.

(The proposed amendment was sent to the states Mar. 5, 1794, by the Third
Congress. It was ratified Feb. 7, 1795
Amendment XII – Mode of electing President
and Vice president by electors.

The electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for President and Vice President, one of
whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots
the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice President, and they shall
make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice President, and of
the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the
government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate; the President of the Senate shall, in
the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be
counted; the person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number
be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the
persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House
of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes
shall be taken by states, the representation from each State having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall
consist of a member or members from two thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be
necessary to a choice. And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of
choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice President shall
act as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President. The person
having the greatest number of votes as Vice President, shall be the Vice President, if such number be a
majority of the whole number of electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest
numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two
thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice.
But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice President of
the United States.
-
(The proposed amendment was sent to the states Dec. 12, 1803, by the Eighth Congress. It was ratified July 27, 1804.)

[1. Amended by the 20th Amendment, Sections 3 and 4.
Five Rights in the Amendment
Freedom of Religion
Freedom of speech
Freedom of the press
Freedom of Assembly
Petition the government