The Bill of Rights

What is the Bill of Rights?

Good Day P2G Manhattan,

I Hope all is well. I know many of you stepped out today in order to take your ORT (official readiness test, usually given at the HUB), you can be sure that over here at Chelsea we wished you luck and success. As the weather warms up we will try and take some trips in order to expand our knowledge beyond the confines of the classrooms. We have a trip scheduled on April 7th to see several plays performed at Stella Adler. Last week (March 28th) we discussed the Bill of Rights also known as the first 10 amendments to the federal constitution of the United States. Our objective was:

• To Explain How the Bill of Rights Guarantee's the American Democratic Experience

What is the Bill of Rights?

One of the major disagreements between the Federalists, supporters of the federal constitutional government and Anti-Federalists, individuals that did not support the federal constitution, was the constitution’s lack of a bill of rights that would place specific limits on government power. Federalists argued that the constitution did not need a bill of rights, because the people and the states kept any powers not given to the federal government. Anti-Federalists held that a bill of rights was necessary to safeguard individual liberty. 
James Madison, then a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, went through the constitution itself, making changes where he thought most appropriate.Madison's ideas, like many of the founders, were highly influenced by the enlightenment thinkers of the 18th century.  But several Representatives, led by Roger Sherman, objected that Congress had no authority to change the wording of the Constitution itself. Therefore, Madison’s changes were presented as a list of amendments that would follow Article VII of the constitution. 
The House approved 17 amendments. Of these 17, the Senate approved 12. Those 12 were sent to the states for approval in August of 1789. Of those 12, 10 were ratified (approved). Virginia’s legislature became the last to ratify the amendments on December 15, 1791.
The first 10 amendments ratified  and then added to the constitution make up what is known as "The Bill of Rights." Madison's amendments were a direct response to calls from several states for greater constitutional protection for individual liberties. The Bill of Rights lists specific prohibitions or limits on governmental power. 

"We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; . . ."

This quotation is evidence that some of the basic ideas in the Declaration of Independence were

A. limitations of the principles underlying most European governments of the 1700’s.
B. adaptations of the laws of Spanish colonial governments in North America.
C. adoptions of rules used by the Holy Roman Empire.
D. reflections of the philosophies of the European Enlightenment.

FIRST 10 AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION:

THE BILL OF RIGHTS – [modified]

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law abridging freedom of religion, freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Amendment II

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

Amendment III

No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Amendment V

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in when in military service. Nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Amendment VI

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

Amendment VII

Jury trials are the right of the accused where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars.

Amendment VIII

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Amendment IX

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment X

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.

We can be inferred by the Bill of Rights being added to the United States Constitution? A. the power of state governments needed to be limited B. protection of individual liberties against abuse by the Federal Government was a mjor concern C. providing for the equal treatment of all people in the United States was the primary goal of the Bill of Rights D. the Bill of Rights outlined the separate powers between the three branches of government Video Below on the Bill of Rights:

Practice Identifying The Correct Amendment From the Bill of Rights:

Directions: Read each scenario, and then cite the amendment from the Bill of Rights that is being exercised. 

1. Arthur was stopped by a police officer on his way home from school. The police officer wanted to search Arthur’s backpack because he heard a teenage boy had just robbed the candy store on the corner. Arthur said to the officer, “Do you have a warrant?” The officer said, “no.” Arthur then informed the officer that he could not search his bag because it violated his rights.

2. Esperanza arrived home one evening to find a member of the United States navy sitting at the dining room table eating dinner with her parents. Esperanza quickly turned to her parents and said, “Why is there a military person in our home?” Esperanza’s parents said, “We were told we had to house this soldier.” Esperanza quickly kicked the soldier out and said to him, “Read the Bill of Rights.”

3. Carmen is upset over the current curfew effecting teenagers throughout Glendale. Carmen decided that she was going to collect as many signatures as she could on a petition and present it to the city government’s office.

4. Joseph, a recent immigrant to the United States, was driving around the city of Los Angeles and noticed that there were churches and temples from several different religions located throughout the city. He was amazed at the fact that people in the United States could practice and worship any religion of their choice.

5. On January 10, 2002, Gerard was arrested for trespassing on his neighbor’s property. When he appeared before the judge to set his trial date, the judge told him his trial would take place on January 24, 2006. Juan immediately informed the judge that this date was unacceptable.

6. Nowhere in the Constitution does it talk about what part of the federal government is in charge of education. Today each individual state controls and sets the standards for their state’s educational system.

7. Mary was caught littering in the park one day after school. When she went to trial, the jury found her guilty since there was a ton of evidence showing her guilt. The judge decided to give Mary a special sentence. He wanted Mary to walk from Los Angeles to Washington D.C. Along her journey across the country, Mary had to fill up 1 million bags of trash with litter she found along the roads. Mary quickly informed the judge she did not have to fulfill this sentence.

8. Stephanie was told that she could not wear her favorite shirt anymore. Instead she had to wear shirts that were only approved by the federal clothing agency. Stephanie knew that this rule could not possibly be true because she learned about the Bill of Rights in school. 

9. Elias wrote a nice lengthy article for the Daily News describing the changes students would like to see at Roosevelt Middle School. The principal tried to stop Elias’s article from being published in the local newspaper, but she was unsuccessful.

10. Nancy visited one of her elderly neighbors and noticed that she had a gun locked away in one of her cabinets. During the visit, Nancy turned to her neighbor and asked, “Why do you have a gun in your house?” Her neighbor simply said, “I am exercising my right to own a gun legally.”

Correct Answers:

1. 4th amendment

2. 3rd amendment

3. 1st amendment

4. 1st amendment

5. 6th amendment

6. 10th amendment

7. 8th amendment

8. 1st amendment

9. 1st amendment

10. 2nd amendment