Unit 2; Bill of Rights and more

1st Amendment

protects several fundamental rights, including freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition. It ensures that Congress cannot make laws that establish a religion, infringe on the free exercise of religion, restrict freedom of speech or the press, or prevent people from peacefully assembling and petitioning the government

2nd Amendment

protects the right of individuals to keep and bear arms, typically understood as the right to own and carry guns.

3rd Amendment

restricts the quartering of soldiers in private homes. It states that in peacetime, soldiers cannot be housed in any house without the owner's consent, and in wartime, they can only be quartered in a manner prescribed by law. This amendment is rooted in the historical grievances of colonists who resented the British military's practice of quartering soldiers in their homes, especially during peacetime.

4th Amendment

protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures. It requires law enforcement to obtain a warrant based on probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and specifically describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized. This amendment aims to safeguard personal privacy and property rights.

5th Amendment

protecting individuals from being compelled to be a witness against themselves in a criminal case, ensuring due process of law, and preventing double jeopardy. It also includes the Takings Clause, which requires just compensation when private property is taken for public use.

6th Amendment

guarantees several rights to individuals facing criminal prosecution. These include the right to a speedy and public trial, the right to an impartial jury, the right to be informed of the charges, the right to confront witnesses, the right to call witnesses, and the right to legal counsel.

7th Amendment

guarantees the right to a jury trial in federal civil cases where the value in controversy exceeds twenty dollars. It also prohibits judges from reexamining facts found by a jury, except according to common law rules. This means that in certain civil lawsuits, citizens have the right to have their case decided by a jury, rather than solely by a judge.

8th Amendment

prohibits excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishments. Ratified in 1791, it ensures fairness in the legal system by placing limits on the types of penalties that the government can impose on individuals.

9th Amendment

serves as a constitutional safety net, aiming to ensure that the enumeration of specific rights in the Constitution (like those in the Bill of Rights) does not imply that other rights retained by the people are denied or disparaged.

10th Amendment

key component of federalism, clarifying the balance of power between the federal and state governments. It states that any powers not delegated to the federal government, nor prohibited to the states, are reserved to the states or the people. This essentially reinforces the principle that the federal government possesses only those powers specifically granted to it by the Constitution, with all other powers remaining with the states or the people.

13th Amendment

Abolishes slavery

14th Amendment

addresses citizenship, due process, and equal protection under the law. It is a cornerstone of civil rights and liberties in the United States. 

15th Amendment

prohibits the denial of the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude. This amendment was a crucial step in guaranteeing voting rights for African American men after the Civil War

19th Amendment

guarantees all American women the right to vote. This landmark achievement, the culmination of decades of activism, prohibited the denial of voting rights based on sex