THE BILL OF RIGHTS



THE BILL OF RIGHTS Name _________________________________________ Period ________ Folder #________

Ratified in 1791. To protect Americans’ basic freedoms against the power of the federal government.

|AMENDMENT # |MEANING |EXAMPLES |THOUGHTS FOR DISCUSSION |HOW IMPACT YOUR LIFE? |

| | | | |What would life be like without the rights |

| | | | |guaranteed in the amendment? |

| | | | |What are examples of rights from your own |

| | | | |life? |

|1 |Government cannot : |Government cannot stop you from practicing your|Do students have the right to pray in public | |

| |- establish one church for the whole country |religion. |schools? | |

| |- support religious practices | | | |

| |- show preference to one religion over another |Government cannot force you to follow a certain| | |

| |Congress cannot restrict: |religion. |Should students be forced to learn about | |

| |- Freedom of religion | |different religions at school? | |

| |- Freedom of speech |You cannot be put in jail for speaking out | | |

| |- Freedom of assembly (to gather) |against the government. | | |

| |- Freedom of the press | | | |

| | |You can openly express your opinions. |Should Americans be able to say anything they | |

| |People can ask the government to change | |want at anytime? What if they are accusing | |

| | |Newspapers, TV, movies etc. can keep people |somebody of something untrue? What if someone | |

| | |informed about the government. |yells fire in a public place when there is no | |

| | | |fire? | |

| | |Movies, books, TV, etc. don’t have to be | | |

| | |approved by the government first | | |

| | | | | |

| | |You can join groups or clubs even if the group | | |

| | |has unpopular views. | | |

| | | | | |

| | | | | |

| | | | | |

|2 |Guarantees the States the right to have a militia. Militia = a|State National Guard. |Since some people use guns to hurt other people | |

| |body of citizens with some military training who are called to| |should the sale of guns be banned? | |

| |active duty only in an emergency |People are able to buy and keep weapons for | | |

| | |hunting. |Is gun control a violation of the 2nd amendment?| |

| |Allows people the right to bear arms (carry weapons to protect| | | |

| |ourselves) | | | |

|3 |The government cannot force people to let soldiers stay in |Before the Revolutionary War, the British |Would there ever be a time when the government | |

| |their house during peace times. During wars, Congress needs |forced Americans to provide food and housing |should be able to make you feed and house | |

| |to pass a law. |for British troops. |somebody? | |

|4 |The government cannot search a citizen’s body, house, papers |If the police knew that an 11th student was |Do you think the 4th amendment makes us more | |

| |or things without a warrant that proves they have a good |selling drugs, they cannot search the home of |safe or less safe? | |

| |reason to believe the person committed a crime. |every 11th grader. They need proof that a | | |

| | |specific student might be selling drugs. | | |

|5 |Rights of those accused of a crime |“I plead the 5th” |Who owns the land in the U.S. you or the | |

| |- People are innocent until proven guilty. | |government? | |

| |- People cannot be forced to testify against themselves in |The government can buy your house and make you | | |

| |court. |move if the house is in the way of a new |Should the government be able to force you to | |

| |- People cannot be tried twice for the same crime. |highway they are building |move? | |

| |- People cannot be tried for serious crimes unless a Grand | | | |

| |Jury decides there is enough evidence |If a Grand Jury doesn’t think there is enough |Why do you think your right to remain silent at | |

| |Eminent Domain: The government can take over property for |evidence for a trial the case will be dismissed|your trial is guaranteed in the Bill of Rights? | |

| |public use, but only if they pay for it |and they can’t try again with a new jury. | | |

|6 |People have the right to a speedy, public trial by an |If you are accused of a crime, the trial has to|Why do you think people have to have their trial| |

| |impartial jury of their peers. |take place quickly in the same area where the |in the same area as where the crime was | |

| | |crime was committed. |committed? | |

| |The accused have the right to a lawyer. | | | |

| | |Public defenders are lawyers for people who | | |

| |The accused have the right to know what the accusation is and |cannot afford their own lawyer. | | |

| |who the witnesses are. | | | |

|7 |People have the right to a jury trial in civil cases of more |Today people don’t bring civil (as opposed to | | |

| |than $20. |criminal) cases to court unless they are much | | |

| | |more than $20. | | |

| | | | | |

| | |Civil trials are between two people instead of | | |

| | |between a person and the government. | | |

|8 |Judges cannot set excessive bail or set out cruel and unusual |Torture is cruel and unusual punishment. |Is the death penalty a form of cruel and unusual| |

| |punishments. | |punishment? | |

|9 |The rights of citizens are not limited (restricted) to only |This allows for growth and change. |What are some other rights that are not listed | |

| |those described in the Constitution. | |in the Bill of Rights that should be guaranteed | |

| | |There are more rights that people have besides |to people? | |

| | |those specifically written in the Constitution.| | |

|10 |Anything the Constitution doesn’t say that Congress can do, | | | |

| |should be left up to the states or the people. | | | |

RESPONSE QUESTIONS:

On a separate sheet of paper. . . put your heading: Name, folder #, Title: Bill of Rights.

1. Pick 1 question from the “Thoughts” column and write a one-paragraph answer. Refer to the specific amendment from the Bill of Rights in your response.

2. In what ways does the Bill of Rights impact your life? How would your life be different without the Bill of Rights?

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