The Amendments
Ch. 3.4
Bill of Rights; The first 10
amendments to the
U. S. Constitution
Objective; SWBAT, understand how
the amendments to the Constitution
show the development of democracy
in the United States?
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
The Bill of Rights (pages 83–87)
• These ten amendments originally applied only
to the federal government, but through a
series of Supreme Court decisions now apply
to state governments also.
• The 1st Amendment protects individuals’ right
to worship, to speak freely, to assemble, and
to petition and criticize government.
Free Speech Limits
• Threaten to blow up airplanes, schools, or the
president
• Sexual harassment
• Create social chaos
• Extremely crude language in a public forum
• Disrespectful, vulgar language in schools
• Hate crimes
Freedom of Religion
• Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion or prohibiting the
free exercise there of.”
• Two clauses:
– Establishment clause -Establishment Clause:
Government cannot promote religion.
– Free Exercise clause - Choose any religion, Lead a
prayer in most instances - Ask questions about
religions
Freedom of the Press:
The Press - Can
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Print any political position
Make fun of people, especially politicians
Expose wrongs by the government
Say things you might not agree with
Cannot
Libel– intentionally injuring a person’s reputation
by false facts - Disclose classified government
secrets - Detail how to make a certain weapons
Freedom of Assembly
• Protest - Parade (with a permit) - Parade
chanting hate slogans - Gather in public
• 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 3rd & 4th
• The 2nd Amendment ensures citizens’ right to
own firearms.
• The 3rd Amendment prohibits the government
from forcing people to provide shelter for soldiers
in their homes.
• What is the debate with the right to bear arms
– How much can the government do to keep guns from
criminals and youth?
– In order to keep guns away from criminals, does that
limit the right of law abiding citizens?
• Amendments 4-8
Preserve the
Rights of the
Accused.
4th & 5th
• The 4th Amendment protects individuals from
unlawful searches and arrests without court
warrants.
• The 5th Amendment protects people charged
with a crime:
– a grand jury must indict them before trial
– no one found innocent can be retried for the same
crime
– people cannot be forced to testify against themselves
– and no one can be deprived of life, liberty, or
property without due process of law
6th 7th & 8th
• The 6th Amendment guarantees accused persons the
right to know the charges against them,
– Defense attorney,
– Speedy jury trial,
– The right to question all witnesses and compel them to
testify
• The 7th Amendment provides individuals the right to a
trial by jury to settle property disputes, though a judge
may try the case if both parties agree.
• The 8th Amendment prohibits excessive bail and fines
and bars cruel and unusual punishment for crimes.
9th & 10th
• The 9th Amendment states that all powers not
spelled out in the Constitution are retained by
the people.
• The 10th Amendment says that all powers not
given to the national government or denied to
the states belong to the states or the people
Other Amendments
• The 11th Amendment prohibits a state from being sued
in federal court by citizens of another state.
• The 12th Amendment provides that the Electoral
College shall cast separate ballots for president and
vice president.
• The 13th , 14th , and 15th Amendments outlawed
slavery, prohibited depriving anyone of life, liberty, or
property without “due process of law,” and prohibited
denying the right to vote based on race.
• The later amendments, Sixteen through Twenty-seven,
deal with a wide range of topics reflecting changes in
modern times.