Bill of RightsBill of Rights

Amendment I• Protects the freedoms of Protects the freedoms of

assembly, petition, press, assembly, petition, press, religion, and speechreligion, and speech

• Examples:Examples:

• The government cannot The government cannot establish an establish an official religionofficial religion or treat people differently or treat people differently because of their beliefsbecause of their beliefs

• The government cannot The government cannot practice practice censorshipcensorship

• Petition: Petition: Make a Make a request to the request to the government about law government about law or public policy or public policy

Amendment I

• LimitsLimits

• Cannot endanger our Cannot endanger our government or other government or other AmericansAmericans

• Example: Provoking a riotExample: Provoking a riot

• Cannot interfere with the Cannot interfere with the rights of othersrights of others

• Example: Example: Spreading lies to Spreading lies to harm anotherharm another

• SlanderSlander if spoken; if spoken; libellibel if if printedprinted

Amendment IIAmendment II

• The right to The right to keep and bear keep and bear armsarms

• ControversialControversial• The government The government

may pass laws to may pass laws to controlcontrol, but not , but not preventprevent, the , the possession of possession of weaponsweapons

Amendment IIIAmendment III

• No quartering of No quartering of soldierssoldiers• Without homeowner’s Without homeowner’s

consent during times of consent during times of peacepeace

• Without the Without the authorization of authorization of Congress during warCongress during war

• A problem before the A problem before the Revolutionary WarRevolutionary War

Amendment IVAmendment IV

• Protects Americans Protects Americans “against “against unreasonable searches and unreasonable searches and seizures”seizures”

• A search requires A search requires probable probable causecause• Officer then asks a judge Officer then asks a judge

to issue a search warrantto issue a search warrant• Warrants allow officials to Warrants allow officials to

search a suspect’s home or search a suspect’s home or business and business and take specific take specific items as evidenceitems as evidence

Amendment VAmendment V• Protects the rights of the Protects the rights of the

accusedaccused• Cannot be put on trial for a Cannot be put on trial for a

serious federal crime serious federal crime without a without a grand jury grand jury indictmentindictment• Indicates a crime may have Indicates a crime may have

been committedbeen committed• Double jeopardyDouble jeopardy

• A person judged not guilty A person judged not guilty cannot be tried again for the cannot be tried again for the same crimesame crime

• Cannot be forced to testify Cannot be forced to testify against yourselfagainst yourself• ““I plead the fifth”I plead the fifth”

Amendment V Amendment V (Continued)(Continued)

• Requires Requires due processdue process• Established legal procedures Established legal procedures

must be followedmust be followed• Protects property rights by Protects property rights by

limiting the government’s limiting the government’s power of power of eminent domaineminent domain• The government cannot take The government cannot take

private property (land) for private property (land) for public use without public use without paying the paying the owner a fair priceowner a fair price

Amendment VIAmendment VI• The accused must be The accused must be

informed of the informed of the charges against themcharges against them

• Guarantees Guarantees a speedy a speedy and public jury trialand public jury trial

• The accused are The accused are entitled to:entitled to:• Hear/question all Hear/question all

witnesses against themwitnesses against them• Call witnesses in their Call witnesses in their

own defenseown defense• A lawyer or public A lawyer or public

defender if necessarydefender if necessary

Amendment VIIAmendment VII• Deals with Deals with civilcivil cases cases

(not criminal cases)(not criminal cases)• Disagreements Disagreements

between people between people (contracts; malpractice)(contracts; malpractice)

• Guarantees a Guarantees a jury trialjury trial if the amount of if the amount of money involved is money involved is over $20over $20

• If both sides agree, If both sides agree, a a judge can decide the judge can decide the casecase

Amendment VIIIAmendment VIII• Bail or jail while Bail or jail while

awaiting trialawaiting trial• Bail: Bail: Used as a security Used as a security

deposit for temporary deposit for temporary freedomfreedom

• Prohibits Prohibits excessiveexcessive bail bail and fines (setting an and fines (setting an amount much too amount much too high)high)

• Forbids Forbids “cruel and “cruel and unusual punishments”unusual punishments”• Controversy over the Controversy over the

death penalty continuesdeath penalty continues

Amendment IXAmendment IX• People have rights People have rights

beyond those listed in beyond those listed in the Constitutionthe Constitution

• These rights may be These rights may be unwrittenunwritten, but they , but they cannot be taken awaycannot be taken away

• Example: Example: PrivacyPrivacy• In our homes; medical and In our homes; medical and

financial records; personal financial records; personal choiceschoices

Amendment XAmendment X• Powers not given to Powers not given to

the national the national government government are are reserved for the states reserved for the states or the peopleor the people

• Prevents Congress & Prevents Congress & the President from the President from becoming too strongbecoming too strong

• Examples: Examples: Setting up Setting up schools; licensing schools; licensing lawyerslawyers