U.S. Amendments

1st Amendment

• Freedom of Religion

• Freedom of Speech and the Press

• Freedom to Assemble

• Right to Petition the Government

2nd Amendment

• The right to bear arms

• Well regulated militia

3rd Amendment

• No quartering of soldiers

4th Amendment

• Citizens cannot be forced to subject themselves to seizures and search without a search warrant and probable cause

5th Amendment

• A person cannot be tried twice for the same crime (no double jeopardy)

• Serious criminal charges must begin with a grand jury

• You have the right not to incriminate yourself

• Government must compensate you when government takes private property for public use

6th Amendment

• The right to know the criminal charges against you

• The right to a trial by an impartial jury

• Witness must face their accuser

• fair and speedy trial

• generally fundamental rights to criminal defendants

7th Amendment

• guarantees the right to a jury trial in federal civil cases

8th Amendment

• Bans excessive bail and fines

• Bans cruel and unusual punishment

9th Amendment

• You have rights beyond those listed in the constitution

10th Amendment

• If a right isn’t listed in the Constitution it belongs to the states

11th Amendment

• prohibits federal courts from hearing lawsuits against a state brought by citizens of another state or by foreign citizens

12th Amendment

• requires that electors cast separate ballots for President and Vice President, establishing a separate vote for each office

13th Amendment

• The end of slavery or involuntary servitude EXCEPT as punishment

14th Amendment

• The right of citizenship to anyone born in the country

15th Amendment

• The right to vote

16th Amendment

• grants Congress the power to levy an income tax on individuals and corporations from any source, without the need to apportion it among the states based on population

17th Amendment

• The right of citizens to elect their senators