Bill of Rights

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Bill of Rights
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Amendment I

• Protects the freedoms of assembly, petition,
  press, religion, and speech
• Examples
• The government cannot establish an official
  religion or treat people differently because of
  their beliefs
• The government cannot practice censorship
• Petition Make a request to the government about
  law or public policy

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Amendment I

• Limits
• Cannot endanger our government or other Americans
• Example Provoking a riot
• Cannot interfere with the rights of others
• Example Spreading lies to harm another
• Slander if spoken libel if printed

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Amendment II

• The right to keep and bear arms
• Controversial
• The government may pass laws to control, but not
  prevent, the possession of weapons

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Amendment III

• No quartering of soldiers
• Without homeowners consent during times of peace
• Without the authorization of Congress during war
• A problem before the Revolutionary War

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Amendment IV

• Protects Americans against unreasonable searches
  and seizures
• A search requires probable cause
• Officer then asks a judge to issue a search
  warrant
• Warrants allow officials to search a suspects
  home or business and take specific items as
  evidence

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Amendment V

• Protects the rights of the accused
• Cannot be put on trial for a serious federal
  crime without a grand jury indictment
• Indicates a crime may have been committed
• Double jeopardy
• A person judged not guilty cannot be tried again
  for the same crime
• Cannot be forced to testify against yourself
• I plead the fifth

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Amendment V (Continued)

• Requires due process
• Established legal procedures must be followed
• Protects property rights by limiting the
  governments power of eminent domain
• The government cannot take private property
  (land) for public use without paying the owner a
  fair price

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Amendment VI

• The accused must be informed of the charges
  against them
• Guarantees a speedy and public jury trial
• The accused are entitled to
• Hear/question all witnesses against them
• Call witnesses in their own defense
• A lawyer or public defender if necessary

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Amendment VII

• Deals with civil cases (not criminal cases)
• Disagreements between people (contracts
  malpractice)
• Guarantees a jury trial if the amount of money
  involved is over 20
• If both sides agree, a judge can decide the case

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Amendment VIII

• Bail or jail while awaiting trial
• Bail Used as a security deposit for temporary
  freedom
• Prohibits excessive bail and fines (setting an
  amount much too high)
• Forbids cruel and unusual punishments
• Controversy over the death penalty continues

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Amendment IX

• People have rights beyond those listed in the
  Constitution
• These rights may be unwritten, but they cannot be
  taken away
• Example Privacy
• In our homes medical and financial records
  personal choices

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Amendment X

• Powers not given to the national government are
  reserved for the states or the people
• Prevents Congress the President from becoming
  too strong
• Examples Setting up schools licensing lawyers