Bill of RightsFirst 10 amendments to the

constitution

First Amendment

•Free exercise of Religion• Freedom of Speech• Freedom of Press

•Freedom of Assembly and Petition

•Also Called RAPPS

Looking closer at RAPPS…freedom of Religion

• Free Exercise Clause: forbids congress from making any law prohibiting the free exercise of one’s religion

• Establishment Clause: forbids congress from establishing a religion

JOHN PETER ZENGER

• John Peter Zenger was a German-born U.S. journalist in New York City.

• Created a newspaper to voice opposition to the difficult policies of newly appointed Colonial Governor William Cosby.

• His case was an important contributing factors to the

development of freedom of the press in America.

• He was acquitted during his trial…

SECOND AMENDMENT

•The Right to Bare Arms

Third Amendment

•No Quartering of Troops

• What Act did this outlaw? • What were we being punished For?

Fourth Amendment

•No Unreason-

able Searches

and Seizures

What inspired this amendment?

Fifth Amendment• Guarantee of Grand Jury (evidence)

•No Double Jeopardy (can’t be tried for the same crime twice)

•No Self-Incrimination (Plead the fifth)

•Guarantee of Due Process (everyone gets treated the same)

•Eminent Domain - no taking of Property without Just Compensation ($)

O.J. Simpson cannot be charged for the same crime twice under the Fifth Amendment.

Book Name:

If I did it:

Confessions

Of a Killer.

$33.5 Million Civil Case

90% to Goldman family

Casey Anthony – Acquitted July 2011

SIXTH AMENDMENT• Right to Speedy, Public Trial

• Right to Trial by Jury• Right to be informed of Charge

• Right to Confront Witnesses• Right to obtain Witnesses

• Right to Counsel (Attorney)

SEVENTH AMENDMENT

• Trial by Jury in Civil Cases over $20

• In the 1700’s twenty dollars was a lot more money than it is today.

• Now, for any dispute involving less than $1500.00, small claims court will handle the case without a jury.

Eighth Amendment•No Excessive Bail or

Fines

•No Cruel or Unusual Punishment

• An early electric chair• “Dunking” no longer used

8th Amendment ContinuedNumber of states that use which method of

execution:• Firing Squad - 3 • Hanging - 4 • Lethal Gas - 7 • Electric Chair - 11 • Lethal Injection - 33 (silent night)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYl3ms7cNUw&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1htDY230jx4&feature=related – death penalty documentary

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1976 that the death penalty was constitutional

First 8 amendments spell out personal liberties

Ninth Amendment• Unenumerated Rights not Denied to

the People

*People still have rights that they are entitled to that may not be expressed directly in the

Constitution.

• This always goes back to Natural Rights…life, liberty and the pursuit

of happiness.

• Includes the right to privacy

Tenth Amendment• Undelegated Powers reserved for

the States

• The tenth amendment sets up the basic principle of federalism

• The governmental powers not listed in the Constitution for the national government are powers that the states, or the people of those states, can have.

10th Amendment ExamplesThe states determine the rules for:

marriages divorces driving licenses voting state taxes job and school requirements rules for police fire departments

What the Bill of Rights Presented

• Protection against a strong central government

• Protection of Individual liberties

• Protection through a trial by jury

• James Madison takes on the responsibility of submitting 12 possible amendments out of 80 submitted by the states to Congress…only 10 were chosen.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPC2gg3a85 *Amendments - with Lady Gaga song)

The Free Exercise Clause and Establishment Clause are associated with protecting which of the following rights?

• A. Right to Free Speech

• B. Right to Peacefully Assemble

• C. Right to Religious Freedom

• D. Right to Bare Arms

HOMEWORK• You will have to write a one page

essay ranking the amendments from most important to least and explain which amendment is most important to you and why.

• It can be typed or written legibly…please

ASSIGNMENT

You will need to create an illustration/picture for each amendment and write each amendment in your own words

Must be colored and creative…no stick people

CLASS ASSIGNMENT• The class will divided into ten

groups. Each group will be assigned one of the amendments from the bill of rights.

• Your group’s job is to create a poster that explains your amendment in your own words and has an illustration that supports the amendment.

• * Make it in the shape of what it represents