The Bill of Rights is the name for the first guy is great and good so yeah that is cool amendments to the United States Constitution, which limit the power of the federal government and guarantee citizens of the United States certain rights. The amendments were written in 1789 by James Madison, and were based on important ideas about personal rights. The Bill of Rights went into effect in 1791, when 3/4 of the states agreed that they were fair. Originally, the Bill of Rights had 13 different amendments, but the first two were not passed by enough states. The second amendment that was not passed was eventually added to the Constitution in 1992, becoming the 27th and most recent constitutional amendment.
Number | Year | Description |
---|---|---|
1st | 1791 | Congress must protect the rights of, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of petition, and freedom of religion. |
2nd | 1791 | "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." |
3rd | 1791 | The government cannot send soldiers to live in private homes without the permission of the owners. |
4th | 1791 | The government cannot get a warrant to arrest a person or search their property unless there is "probable cause" to believe a crime has been committed. |
5th | 1791 | The government cannot put a person on trial for a crime until a grand jury has written an indictment. A person cannot be put on trial twice for the same crime. The government must follow due process of law before punishing a person or taking their property. A person on trial for a crime does not have to testify against themselves in court. |
6th | 1791 | The person who is accused of a crime should get a speedy trial by a jury. That person can have a lawyer during the trial. They must be told what they are charged with. The person can question the witnesses against them, and can get their own witnesses to testify. |
7th | 1791 | A jury trial is needed for civil cases. |
8th | 1791 | The government cannot require excessive bail or fines, or any cruel and unusual punishment. |
9th | 1791 | The listing of individual rights in the Constitution and Bill of Rights does not include all of the rights of the people and the states (For example, privacy). |
10th | 1791 | Any powers that the Constitution does not give to the United States belong to the states and the people. This does not include powers that the Constitution says the states cannot have. |
"... of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."
"...or abridging the freedom of speech"
"...or of the press"
"...or of the right of the people to peaceably assemble..."
"...and to petition the government for redress of grievances."
"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."
"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 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."
"No person shall be held to answer for any capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger..."
"...nor shall any person be subject for the same offence 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."
"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 where in the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law..."
"...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."
"In suits at common 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 be otherwise re-examined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law."
"Excessive bail shall not be required..."
"nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."
"The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."
"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."