...never were, nor ever will be, secure when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them,” at the Convention of Virginia in June 1788. He was trying to convey a message that showed the importance of citizens having their rights listed, so the government would never be able...
Words: 1709 - Pages: 7
...and 19th amendments have all greatly affected and changed the lives of many Americans for different reasons. Each of these amendments has to due with giving people equal rights no matter what race or gender that they may be. These are all tremendous milestones in American history. First, the 13th amendment was passed in 1865 to end slavery. African Americans were no longer allowed to be considered as property. Instead, they became viewed as real people, and slavery was banned unless it was used as a form of punishment This amendment was passed because before and during the civil war, most northern citizens strongly stood against slavery. They thought it was unjust to make people work for long hours and to be treated unfairly. This amendment clearly and effectively signified that no American citizen could own slaves....
Words: 624 - Pages: 3
...Can the amendments from the Bill of Rights be valued of importance? The bill of rights consists of ten amendments each guaranteeing an individual right of every United States citizen. In this essay I have picked two amendments, which I will explain, their importance and negative consequences. Continuing on the relevance of the second amendment in today’s American climate and the arguments that those are for/against about gun control. The first amendment of the Bill of Rights sets the tone for the rest of the document showing the limitations the government has towards any United States citizen. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech,...
Words: 1121 - Pages: 5
...written for the American people for two reasons. The first was to pacify Anti-Federalist’s fears of an overwhelmingly powerful central government provided by the Constitution. The second reason was to protect the freedoms secured by the Americans after their war for independence. Without a Bill of Rights, the people feared that the government would have the power to oppress and to control everything. In my opinion, the First Amendment is the most important. By taking each letter in the word first, I will explain why the First Amendment is important to me. F-freedom; The First Amendment states, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. This is quite possibly the amendment that makes the United States the democratic and orderly country that it is. The choice of freedom to say and listen to whatever one wants is the ultimate independence. I-immeasurable; the importance of the First Amendment can't be measured. The freedoms and liberties it gives me are too great to mark with a value. This part of the Bill of Rights allows me to have a voice in the country I live in. R-requisite; The First Amendment is requisite, or absolutely needed. It sets boundaries that give the people rights in which the government cannot always interfere. Without this amendment, our country...
Words: 447 - Pages: 2
...What is the Bill of Rights and how important is it? The Bill of Right is the collective name for the first ten Amendments of the United States Constitution, which limits the power of the US federal government. These limitations serve to protect the natural rights of liberty including freedoms of religion, speech, a free press, free assembly, and free association, as well as the right to keep and bear arms. The Founding Fathers wanted to ensure that no man could obtain excessive power, which could infringe the citizen’s rights. The Bill of Rights retains an important role in American society as it outlines the rights and freedoms of the individuals. This allows them to use the Bill of Rights as a reference point if they ever find themselves in a situation where they need to defend themselves according to the rights that they claim. This can be seen in Amendment V of the Bill of Rights, whereby a suspected criminal has the rights to not be a witness against himself so as to prevent self incrimination. The Bill of Rights shows the rights of the citizens as it gives individuals the right to keep and bear arms, as outlined in Amendment I where the Bill of Rights clearly shows the right and freedoms of the citizens. However the Bill of Rights can be interpreted in different ways which can lead to inconsistencies in the treatment of the individuals, this is most common depending on where that individual lives. This vagueness has caused a clear debate in the death penalty, where...
Words: 418 - Pages: 2
...Amendment Essay Twenty-seven amendments have been ratified since the original signing of the Constitution, the first ten of which are known as the Bill of Rights. The Amendments to the United States Constitution have had a major effect on American life. A major feature of the Constitution is the capability of changing the document in order for it to become accustomed to the changing times and conditions. There are a few methods in order to change the Constitution. An amendment proposed by 2/3rds vote in each house of congress could be approved by either one of two ways. It must be either ratified by 3/4ths of the State Legislature or by the Constitutional Conventions in 3/4ths of the states. To approve an amendment proposed at a National Constitutional Convention it must also be ratified by 3/4ths of the State Legislatures or by a Constitutional Convention in 3/4ths of the States. The First Amendment, freedoms, is one of the most known and the most important of all. A historical event that led to this amendment was that the new American settlers brought with them a desire for democracy and openness after the American Revolution. They left behind a history of tyranny and official control of information. Using this experience as their guide, the constitutional fathers wrote into their new Constitution a Bill of Rights, which contained the First Amendment. This Amendment was created so that the people would have the freedom to express themselves without worrying. Disagreement to...
Words: 549 - Pages: 3
...Dou 1Laraine(Haoyu) DouMr. KellerGovernment 12.11.2017Final Essay1. Discuss the meaning and importance of three amendments that are guaranteed under the Bill of Rights and how each is applicable to daily life in the United States.The First Amendment is the most important right in the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights. It is the first one for a reason. It’s small in size, but big in meaning. This right gives the American people freedom to say what their minds desire. Without this right, our media would be nonexistent. When the Founding Fathers of the United States wrote the Bill of Rights back in 1787, they didn't make the First Amendment, “The right to bear arms,” because it wasn't as important as free speech. People may say that the Second...
Words: 375 - Pages: 2
...researching them, I must add that I have a better understanding of each of them and I believe that they are all important in their own ways. The Amendment that is most important to me would have to be the first Amendment. I believe that it is the foundation of all our rights as Americans. The first Amendment established the four great liberties; freedom of the press, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of assembly. All of these rights together form the essential core of all our rights as citizens. By me working hard to become a teacher, I also believe this amendment is related to my field and is important to me. Even though all of the Amendments are of great importance, the Amendment that is least important to me would be the seventh Amendment. It codifies the right to a jury trial in certain civil cases, and asserts that cases may not be re-examined by another court. If I were suddenly arrested and tried for a crime, the Amendment that might be most important to me would be the sixth Amendment. It is designed to protect individuals accused of crimes. It includes the right to counsel, the right to confront witnesses, and the right to a speedy and public trial. After reading about the sixth Amendment, I definitely understand the need for it. Each Amendment has its own importance but in my opinion the first Amendment is important to each of us on a daily...
Words: 262 - Pages: 2
...Was the Second Amendment Designed to Protect an Individual’s Right to Own Guns? People have a lot of different views of if the Second Amendment really was designed to protect an individual’s right to own guns. Robert Shalhope believes that the Second Amendment helped Americans to own guns so that they could maintain freedom and liberty. Lawrence Delbert on the other hand believes that the second amendment was made just for “well-regulated militia.” The well-regulated militia in our day and age would be more like cops or the armed forces, anybody protecting over the people of America. The Second Amendment can be interpreted in a lot of different ways. These two authors have two opposite views on the Second Amendment and what it says. Each...
Words: 717 - Pages: 3
...In 1975 the District of Columbia pass the Firearms Control Regulations Act which prohibited guns at home from being functional firearms and also made it nearly impossible to own a gun. This created conflict with the second amendment in the constitution, which states “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.” It can be seen this law D.C. passed violates the constitution due to citizens not being able to have a functional firearm at their home. This caused the case of District of Columbia v. Heller to arise. Dick Anthony Heller, a police officer in D.C., applied for a one-year license that he would use to own a handgun at his place of residence. He was then denied the license. Heller sued D.C. on the account of not upholding his second amendment right. The district court’s response was it was not valid and it was dismissed. It was appealed by Heller and The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia decided that making people have...
Words: 2391 - Pages: 10
...Being an American citizen comes with many rights, one of those being the right to bear arms. Richard Henry Lee, one of our founding fathers, put it best when he said, “ To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms and be taught alike, how to use them.” Since the very beginning of our country, guns have been an important part of our lives. Our founding fathers understood the importance of the second amendment and like them, I firmly believe that the second amendment is key to upholding our freedom. Under no circumstances should the government have the right to disarm the American people. The second amendment was put into place to give us control of our own defense; it is meant to give us the opportunity...
Words: 897 - Pages: 4
...expansion? Section 1: Short Answer Questions (30 points) Write multi-sentence responses for the prompts below. Be specific and give examples from the history we have learned. A. An amendment to the U.S. Constitution changes laws for the entire country. Three amendments changed laws especially for African Americans. Explain how each of the following amendments changed the law for African Americans. (10 points total) a. Thirteenth Amendment (3 points) The thirteenth amendment ended slavery and involuntary servitude except for punishment as a crime. It prevented African Americans from being forced back into slavery. b. Fourteenth Amendment (4 points) the fourteenth amendment addresses citizenship rights and and equal protection of the laws. It was proposed in response to issues that were related to former slaves. c. Fifteenth Amendment (3 points) The fifteenth amendment prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on color, religion, and race. B. Answer the following questions:(10 points) a. What challenges did the United States face in redefining the Union after the war? (1 pt). Briefly tell what these events were and analyze their importance in the Reconstruction era:(3 pts each) b.The assassination of Lincoln – c.The rise of the Ku Klux Klan – d.The impeachment of Andrew Johnson...
Words: 421 - Pages: 2
...POS – 301 November 2, 2014 Professor Biddle My Rights and Freedoms As a citizen of the United States I do not appreciate the freedom and rights given. I have not thought about how fortunate I am to live in a country that allows freedom of speech, freedom of expression, or my favorite, freedom of religion. Throughout this assignment I will explain which freedom in the first amendment relates to me the most, discuss why the Bill of rights are important, and discuss the process for amending the Constitution. The freedom in the first amendment of the constitution relates to me the most would be Freedom of Religion. Freedom of Religion states that as an American I can practice ANY religion I want or I do not have to practice any religion at all. The reason freedom of religion relates to me most is because I am a strong believer in the idiom “to each his own”. I do not care if my friend is Jewish, Hindu, Christian, the list goes on. I think expressing one’s self is extremely important and religion is one of those ways. To me, what a person’s religion is does not determine if they are a good person or not. There are people that consider themselves “Jewish” or “Christian” but yet they are extremely mean and do not care about others. Freedom of religion allows for every single citizen of the United States to have a sense of freedom. We do not feel obligated to have a certain type of religion, which is better! The reason I say this is because if we are not forced to follow...
Words: 862 - Pages: 4
...When our constitution was constructed, the writers kept in mind the needs of the individuals at the time. The third amendment, which is part of the bill of rights, is an example of this. This amendment arose in direct accordance to previous conflict with Great Britain. In the time of the Revolutionary War, colonists were forced to accommodate British soldiers in their homes and were mandated to provide food and clothing for these unwanted guests. These british soldiers were allowed to take over a private residence, according to British government. These soldiers often took advantage of these citizens. This all occurred because the british did not have bases in the colonies, so they welcomed themselves into colonists homes. With this intrusion...
Words: 419 - Pages: 2
...Origins of American Criminal Law Desmond Barnes Professor Poydasheff Bus 100 01/20/13 Strayer University Origins of American Criminal Law The 2nd Amendment is the right to bear arms. One of the most amendment since it was adopted in December of 1791. This amendment always people to keep and bear arms. The importance of this amendment is being felt even in modern day times with the recent shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. The debate on stricter gun laws was started when twenty-two children and six adults were shot and killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School, including the shooter’s mother. The argument of who should be able to have access to a gun and the type of gun erupted the nation. The Federal government has the power to enforce this amendment but the state has the right to make their own laws dealing with guns and who can have them. The state may put in place certain laws about gun regulations. The federal also has to the power to rule such unconstitutional. This way there is always a constant check and balance between the state and federal government. The four goals of the criminal justice system are to stop people from committing crimes, protect society from people who can cause harm, to punish people who have committed crimes and to reform those people. These four goal keep our society in balance. Our police system enforces the law and tries to prevent people from committing crimes. If the crimes are committed still such people are put into jail to stop harm...
Words: 456 - Pages: 2
