Rights and Freedoms of Citizens

1. Individual Rights – rights that shouldn’t be taken away without due cause & are protected in the Constitution

2. The Bill of Rights is the first 10 amendments to the US Constitution.

3. The original purpose of the Bill of Rights was to protect civil liberties of citizens from government abuse.

Rights of Citizens:

1st Amendment: 5 Freedoms – religion, assembly, petition, press, and speech.Establishment Clause: no state religionFree exercise Clause: worship as choose

2nd Amendment: right to bear arms. (own guns)

3rd Amendment: government can’t ask you to quarter (house) soldiers.

4th Amendment: protection against search and seizure (search warrant)

5th Amendment: due process of law, right against self- incrimination, indictment by grand jury, double jeopardy, and eminent domain (rights of accused)

6th Amendment: right to a speedy, fair, and public trial of your peers, right to a lawyer/attorney/ counsel, right to confront witnesses, right to bring witnesses to testify on your behalf. (rights of accused)

7th Amendment: right to a jury trial in civil cases more than $20.00.

8th Amendment: right to apply for bail, no cruel or unusual punishment

9th Amendment: All powers not listed in the constitution belong to the People.Example: Right to privacy.

(You will not see this right in the Constitution, however, it is protected because it is implied in the 4th Amendment and also protected as “a right not listed” in the Constitution.)

10th Amendment: All powers not listed in Constitution belong to states or the people.Example: Marriage laws. (This is not listed in the

Constitution as a power for either the Federal or State governments. The 10th Amendment gives this power to the states. This is why there is a controversy over same-sex marriage, states set marriage laws.)

14th Amendment: Equal protection under the law, extended the bill of rights to the states. Due process of law

(originally passed to give freed slaves citizenship rights.

Benefits and Consequences of Freedom

A. Types of Freedoms1. Economic freedom: equated to wealth

2. Freedom of speech/expression: freedom of information

a. Government has a lack of restrictions on the use and creation of ideas in society.

3. Personal freedom: can do what we want within legal limits

4. Psychological freedom: take advantage of opportunities without fear.

5. Freedom of thought or conscience: right to hold a particular belief regardless of beliefs of others.

B. Benefits of Freedom1. Self-determination:

within certain limits, people get to live their lives as they choose and work for the opportunities they choose.

a. Choices: important mechanism of self- determination. Citizens can pursue opportunities according to their values.

B. Benefits of Freedom2. Freedom of choice: citizens have different types of choices.

a. Political choice: make decisions based on political ideals

1) Voting

2) Political activism: tries to bring about political ideals.

b. Economic choice: determines standard of living

1) Socioeconomic status: explains the level of a person’s income and wealth and what class he/she is a part of (i.e. middle class)

c. Legal choice: obey laws or take legal action (for wrongs done to them)

B. Benefits of Freedom

3. Freedom should be accompanied by justice.a. Involves impartial, fair,

and moral treatment of all people.

b. Gives citizens resources, opportunities and rights.

c. Punishes harm done by citizens.

C. Consequences of freedom1. “Freedom is not Free”2. Freedom comes with accountability and responsibility.

a. People are accountable to their choicesb. People are accountable to the lawc. Government is accountable to the people

1) “Rule of law”: no one is above the law.1. People have certain responsibilities within government

(i.e. voting)3. In the digital age, we have a

growing number of threats to privacy.a. What you do on the internet

can be tracked and can give others access to information about you.

Title PageBill of Rights HandbookDraw a picture or cut and paste a picture

from the internet.Has to be colorful

Page for each amendmentTitle, ex. 1st AmendmentSummarize amendment in your own

words. Write summary in complete sentences.

Draw a picture that represents the amendment

Must be colorful

1St AmendmentThe First Amendment promises us 5 specific

freedoms. They are the Freedom of Religion, assembly, press, petition and

speech. These freedoms give us the right to worship as we choose, to speak our

minds, to protest against the government, to assemble into groups and read the truth

in the press.