The Bill of Rights

Civics

First AmendmentCivil Liberties-Freedoms we have to think and

act without government interference or fear of unfair treatment.

-Freedom of ReligionIntolerance of different beliefs forced people

to come to America.Prohibits Congress from establishing an

official religion in the United States.Allows Americans to practice their as they

wish.

The Bill of Rights

-Freedom of SpeechAllows us to say what is on our minds, in

public or private, without fear of punishment.Speech can mean Internet communications,

art, music or even clothing.-Freedom of the PressAllows Americans to express themselves in

print as well as speech.Censorship-the banning of printed materials

or films due to alarming or offensive ideas.

The bill of Rights

-Freedom of AssemblyProtects our rights to gather in groups for

any reason, so long as the assemblies are peaceful.

Government can make rules about when or where a gathering takes place, but cannot ban them.

Protects our rights to form and join social clubs, political parties, labor unions and other organizations.

-Freedom to PetitionPetition-formal request

The Bill of Rights

Guarantees Americans the right to petition the government.

You may express our ideas in letters or email and if enough people express similar views, government leaders may take action.

Limits to First AmendmentThe Supreme Court has decided that public

interests, such as safety and security of Americans, my justify limitations of the First Amendment.

The Bill of Rights

-Freedom of speech does not include the right to endanger our government or American citizens.

You do not have the freedom to provoke a riot.

You do not have the right to forth efforts to overthrow the government.

You may talk to a friend in the street, but not block traffic.

You may campaign, but not disturb neighbors with a loudspeaker.

The Bill of Rights

You may criticize government officials, but not spread lies to harm their reputation.

-slander-spoken untruths that are harmful to someone’s reputation.

-libel-written untruths that are harmful to someone’s reputation.

-The rights of a community come before individual rights.

The Bill of Rights

2nd Amendment gives the right to maintain a well regulated Militia (National Guard), being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

3rd Amendment states 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.

The Bill of Rights

4th Amendment-No soldier, government agent, or police

officer can search your home or take your property without good cause.

-Search Warrant-A court order allowing law enforcement officer to search a suspect’s home or business and take specific items as evidence.

5th Amendment-Protects the rights of the accused.

The Bill of Rights

Indictment-a formal charge by a grand juryGrand Jury-a group of citizens that decides

whether there is sufficient evidence to accuse someone of a crime.

Double Jeopardy-putting someone on trial for a crime in which they were previously acquitted of.

Due Process-Following established legal procedures

Eminent Domain-the right of the government to take private property for public use.

The Bill of Rights

-Grant additional due process rights to people accused of crimes.

States the accused must be told the exact nature of the charges against them.

Guarantees the accused a trial by juryStates jury trials must be speedy and public and

jurors must be impartialThe accused has the right to hear and question all

witnesses against themThe accused is permitted to call witnesses in their

defenseEntitles the accused to a lawyer.

The Bill of Rights

7th AmendmentCommon law, where the value in controversy

shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall otherwise reexamined in any Court of the United States than according to the rules of common law.

8th Amendment-In case of a lengthy trial, the accused may

stay in jail or remain free by paying a bail.Bail-Sum of money used as a security

deposit.

The Bill of Rights

-Forbids excessive bail or an amount that is too high

-Forbids “cruel and unusual punishment”9th Amendment-The enumeration in the Constitution, or

certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

-This prevents the government from claiming that the only rights people have are those listed in the bill of rights.

The Bill of Rights

10th Amendment-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.

-This is the powers of the state. This protects the states and people from the all powerful government.

-It established the powers not given to the government belong to the state.

The Bill of Rights

11th Amendment-Limits jurisdictions of the federal courts.

The Supreme Court had ruled that federal court could try a lawsuit brought by a citizen of a state against a citizen of another state.

12th Amendment-Procedures for electing the President and

Vice President of the United States.

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13th Amendment-Outlawed Slavery freeing all former slaves in

the South.14th Amendment- “Black Codes”-kept African Americans from

holding certain jobs, limited their property rights, and other restrictions.

-Defined an American citizen as anyone born or naturalized in the United States

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15th Amendment-Says that no state may take away a person’s

voting rights on the basis of race, color, or previous enslavement

-suffrage-The right to vote16th Amendment-The power to lay and collect taxes on

incomes.17th Amendment-Allows voters to select their senators directly

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18th Amendment-Prohibition-prohibits the sales, production, or

transportations of alcoholic beverages in the United States.

19th Amendment-Protects the rights of women to vote in all

national and state elections.20th Amendment-beginning and ending of the terms of the

President and Vice President from March 4 to January 20, and of members of Congress from March 4 to January 3

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21st Amendment-Repels the 18th amendment (prohibition), this

is the only amendment that has ever overturned another amendment.

22nd Amendment-Term limits on the President of the United

States to 2 terms23rd Amendment-Granted citizens of the District of Columbia

the right to vote

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24th Amendment-made poll taxes illegal in National elections-Poll Taxes-a sum of money required of

voters before they are permitted to cast a ballot

25th Amendment-The is the process of how the vice-president

over leadership of the country26th Amendment-Granted the right to vote to citizens 18 and

older

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27th Amendment-Congressional Pay raisesCivil RightsDiscrimination-unfair treatment based on Prejudice

against a certain group“Jim Crow”-laws-require African Americans and

whites to be separated in most public places.Segregation-the Social separation of the racesNAACP-National Association for the Advancement of

Colored People-worked to challenge laws and customs that denied African Americans equality under the law. www.naacp.org

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The Urban League-Aide African Americans in finding jobs and improving their opportunities in society

President Harry Truman ordered an end to segregation in the nation’s armed forces in 1948.

Brown vs. Board of Education-1954 –NAACP lawyers argued that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.

Dr. Martin Luther king, Jr., a Baptist minster, believed in non violent resistance and used peaceful protest to expose unfair laws.

Civil Rights

Civil Rights Act 1964 Prohibited discrimination in public facilities, employment, education, and voters registration, not just by race, but by gender as well.

Affirmative Action-Encouraged the hiring and promoting of minorities and women in fields that were traditionally closed to them.

Gratz vs. Bollinger 2003- The Supreme Court denied the University of Michigan point based admissions policy, stating it gave excessive points to minority applicants.

Civil Rights

Racial Profiling- being singled out as suspects because of the way they look.

Civil Rights