...Pamela Garrett How important is the right to privacy? The right to privacy is not listed in the U.S Constitution, “but the Supreme Court has said that several of the amendments create this right. One of the amendments is the Fourth Amendment, which stops the police and other government agents from searching us or our property without "probable cause" to believe that we have committed a crime. Other amendments protect our freedom to make certain decisions about our bodies and our private lives without interference from the government - which includes the public schools.” These rights are very important to citizens in society. Without these rights, each citizen will be suppressed and violated. The rights of the individual should always be upheld. We obviously have far more rights to privacy than the citizens in the book "Matched" by Allie Condie. In the book Matched by Allie Condie, the citizens are forced to contend with a lack of privacy in their society. This lack of privacy is dangerous to society because of certain violations that this can bring; such as inference of the government in our daily lives and restriction of the fundamental rights that we are entitled to. In the book Matched, the government keeps an eye on every citizen. This constant surveillance is evidence of the lack of privacy going on in their society. The issue of lack of privacy is a major one in the story, and it was an issue that America has had to deal with. I cite the Patriot Act as an example. The...
Words: 1055 - Pages: 5
...Bill of Rights Paper May 7, 2012 Week 3 History 301 / United States Constitution Joseph Richardson As Americans we are given certain “freedoms” that other countries are not entitled to have. In 1787 the United States Constitution went to effect and included the Bill of Rights that provides us with our freedoms. Each of these amendments is very important to the way we live in today’s society and play an important role in our lives. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights is the foundation for our country and the Amendments it includes gives our citizens their individual rights. The Constitution is what separates us from any other country. Certain Amendments were able to pave the way for all groups of individuals to have equal rights. The Constitution is a living document and was created that way to keep growing and changing to evolve with the American people. Our founding fathers understood that times would change the United States would grow and have different issues then our forefathers had. Because they understood this when they created the Constitution of the United States which included article V. Article V of the United States Constitution states that whenever two thirds of both houses decides an amendment is necessary they can propose it. A proposed amendment becomes part of the Constitution after it is ratified by three fourths of the 50 states. An amendment means a change, addition, correction or alteration to the current Constitution. The reason our Constitution...
Words: 1620 - Pages: 7
...Susongsha 1 1 Susongsha Shrestha Sherry Sharifian Govt 2305 February 11, 2018 Civil Rights and Civil Liberties According to Benzine, civil liberties are limitations placed on the government. They prohibit the government from carrying out activities that infringe people's freedom. The First Amendment provides freedom of religion and hinders government interference. In contrast, civil rights are restrictions on the powers of the majority. They prevent people from making decisions that benefit them at the expense of others. They are assurances of equal conditions by the government. They protect minorities from discrimination by the majorities. An example is same-sex marriages. It seems like a civil liberty issue except not all individuals can...
Words: 1342 - Pages: 6
...How far did US presidents hinder rather than help the development of African Civil rights in the period from 1865-12? It can be said that US presidents significantly hindered rather than helped the development of African Civil Rights in the period from 1965-1912 because the Presidents after Andrew Johnson and Ulysses S. Grant did not sustain the 14th Amendment which said that African Americans were equal citizens with equal rights and the 15th Amendment stated the right to vote was not to be denied on the account of race, colour or previous conditions of servitude and loopholes allowed the southern state governments not to enforce the amendments, in which the Amendments were flawed in the fact that the southern states where able to find these loopholes and to exploit these loop holes so that the African Americans did not receive their Civil rights. A major loophole was in the 15th amendment as it did not forbid states to introduce literacy, property and educational tests for would be voters and did not guarantee all men the right to vote and did not outlaw voting discrimination on the grounds of gender and property ownership so southern states devised complex rules and imposed additional voting requirements. Therefore this enabled the southern governments to introduce black codes which included grandfather clauses, poll tax and literacy tests which denied the African Americans of their civil rights such as blacks where banned from schools and not allowed to vote and had no...
Words: 1242 - Pages: 5
...changed it’s called and amendment. Among the amendments are the bill of rights and the reconstruction amendments. In this paper I will discuss how and why amendments become part of the constitution, what were some problems with the original document that motivated the adoption of the bill of rights, the effects of the bill of rights and the reconstruction amendments and their effects. How and why do amendments become part of the constitution? When the constitution was written, the Framers knew that the constitution would and could be amended. Article V of the constitution tells how an amendment can become a part of the constitution. It takes two steps to add an amendment to the constitution. The first step is the proposal. An amendment can be proposed by either two-thirds vote in congress, which includes both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The second step is ratification; the amendment has to be ratified by wither three-fourths of the state legislatures or by state conventions in three-fourths of the states. An amendment can only be ratified after two-thirds of the House and Senate approve of the proposal and send it to the states for a vote and then three-fourths of the states must affirm the proposed amendment. Congress has set a term of seven years for ratification. The second way would require a constitutional convention to be called by two-thirds of the legislatures of the states. The convention can then propose as many amendments as it sees fit. Those...
Words: 1409 - Pages: 6
...The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, basically known as the Civil War Amendments, were designed to ensure equality for recently emancipated slaves. The 13th Amendment banned slavery and all involuntary servitude, except in the case of punishment for a crime. The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution officially abolished slavery in America, and was ratified on December 6, 1865, after the conclusion of the American Civil War. The 13th Amendment was important because it created a constitutional amendment that banned slavery in all of the American states. The Emancipation Proclamation, although frequently credited for abolishing slavery in the United States, only declared slavery illegal in "rebelling" parts of America - so basically within the Confederacy. States fighting for the Union who had slavery systems (Maryland, West Virginia, East Tennessee) were not required to free their slaves. The passage of the 13th Amendment addressed this issue and formally outlawed slavery in the territorial us. In 1868, the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States granted citizenship and equal civil and legal rights to African Americans and...
Words: 487 - Pages: 2
...4/22/2012 POS 111 Unit 4, Question 3 Visit the websites below and then write an essay explaining the distinction between civil rights and human rights. Should the United States be bound by international law concerning human rights? The Merriam-Webster dictionary describes Civil Rights as the nonpolitical rights of a citizen especially the rights of personal liberty guaranteed to the United States citizens by the 13th and 14th amendments to the constitution and by acts of Congress. Our country has been dealing with the issue of civil rights since its existence. The first Civil Rights Act was passed in 1875 which allowed equal rights for African Americans but it was struck down in 1883 because the Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution can’t tell private businesses or any individual who to discriminate against. So the struggle for civil rights had to be fought harder. The promises that were made to protect civil rights in the Thirteenth Amendment were first kept then broken. Many states found their way around the flimsy wording of the Fourteenth Amendment. The case of Strauder v. West Virginia, the Supreme Court overturned a law keeping African Americans from jury duty but they refused to extend the amendment so that it contained a more narrow interpretation. One of the biggest segregation problems of our time led to a new era for civil rights which was the integration of the public school system. The NAACP, which is the National Association for the Advancement of Colored...
Words: 869 - Pages: 4
...and events that finally led to the complete freedom and equality for African Americans. I believe that the most significant events that led to a final resolution were the Amendments and Civil Rights Acts passed and signed by our government. Although, it was hard for proper implementation of the laws at first, I believe that they were all extremely important building blocks for the movement to finally get to where it is today. The first event that started the Civil Rights Movement was the abolishment of slavery. Ratified on December 6, 1865, the 13th Amendment did just this, it restricted state power federally and outlawed involuntary servitude. What this meant is that nationwide, it was illegal to claim ownership over another person. “Although its full effect was not achieved for nearly a century, it began the process of dismantling involuntary servitude as a widespread form of labor relations” (Rutherglen, 2012). With that being said, this was the first real law of its kind, so its implementation was crudely regulated. Yes, slaves were free to now go about and live as they see fit, however, even with freedom they could not regulate their own lives, there were still no laws stating that they had to be treated fairly without prejudice. This became a big problem for African Americans because the 13th Amendment gave them a promise of freedom, yet they were still having to involuntarily submit themselves to the white man. Even though they now had their “freedom” they still could...
Words: 2250 - Pages: 9
...he United States constitution is a series of amendments that govern the land. The constitution is supposed to embody the fundamentals and principles necessary to sustain the “unalienable rights of man (US 1776)” as Thomas Jefferson mentioned during the early writings of the U.S. constitutions. Yet, these rights only covered eligible white men, leaving minorities and woman on a tight hinge. Even long after the abolishment of slavery through the 13 amendment, African American citizens had little to no rights as citizens. Yet, despite that continuous adversity and injustice African American dealt with, they continued to have strong patriotic ties to the what it meant to be a true an American. It is crucial to follow federal laws, regardless of whether it is just or unjust because laws ensure the safety and freedom of all citizens....
Words: 480 - Pages: 2
...The Patriot Act Philosophers have helped us understand the establishment of governments and the authority of state over the individual. In this world there needs to be rules established and certain freedoms giving up for the exchange for protection and security. This is known as the social contract theory, which was originally founded by Plato. But such ideas has been expanded and taken one step further by many philosophers. This idea of a social contract is one of our most essential foundations of our American political system. The debate of how much of our liberties needs to be taken away to ensure our security has been a long lasting one. One of our most iconic founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin, said, “Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.” When we give governments power, they will use them for their own self-interest and when needed for their preservation. In the last decades there have been many technologic advances and our government need to adapt to these changes. The Patriot Act was but into law because our congress believed it was the right course of action to protect our nation’s security. Nonetheless, The Patriot Act undermines one of our most fundamental civil liberties and questions the integrity of our American democracy. Six weeks after September 11, 2001 congress passed a new law named, The Patriot Act (The Uniting and Strengthening America by Proving Appropriate Tools Required...
Words: 2421 - Pages: 10
...1. What are the important and relevant faces of the case? 2. What issues is the court addressing? What is the legal problem? 3. What law is the court applying? 4. What is the court’s decision, analysis, and rationale? For this week, you need to find a case that deals with Due Process, the Equal Protection Clause or Delegation. Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) What are the important and relevant faces of the case? The Case is based upon The Equal Protection Clause, in which, this case occurred one hundred and nineteen years ago, but it was very interesting as to see what has changed during the century. In 1890, Louisiana State passed laws prohibited races to sit together on railroads; something in common with segregation in the south in the 1950’s and buses. Trains were required to have seating for different races and were divided by curtains or some form of barricade to prevent the races from sitting beside one another. Homer Adolph Plessy, a Louisiana businessman, who lived a society of whites and blacks, happen to have a black grandparent, in which Louisiana law defined him as an “octaroon”, one eight of black heritage. Plessy did not consider himself black, but Louisiana did and therefore made him sit in the segregated area for blacks. Plessy did not agree and challenged the Jim Crow laws by breaking the law intentionally and sitting in an area of the train that Louisiana law said he was prohibited to sit in, in which case caused him to be arrested and charged with...
Words: 969 - Pages: 4
...when we feel it is necessary. What would happen if we never had these rights? The first amendment went into effect in the year of 1791, but up until that people did not have the rights to religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition. The first amendment is arguably the most important part of the Bill of Rights due to its meaning, purpose, and lasting impact on the U.S. The first amendment is meaningful and purposeful in many ways. The first amendment states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom...
Words: 722 - Pages: 3
...Week 1 * Do you trust the government to do the right things most of the time? It’s all really based on you opinion * a 2000 study of undergraduates showed that 64% did not trust the government Why do we care if people are turning out to vote? * Voter turnout is a sign of political efficacy as well as engagement * People who are engaged are more informed, more likely to communicate with their representatives, more likely to advocate for their interests, and hold public officials accountable for their actions. Political culture * The people’s collective beliefs and attitudes about government and political processes * What is it that binds us together as Americans? * Our political ideologies * Our political values – liberty, capitalism, equality, consent of the governed, individualism Ideology * Political ideology is an integrated system of ideas or beliefs about political values in general and the role of the government in particular * Ideology provides a framework for thinking about politics and policy preferences Ideologies * Modern liberalism is associated with ideas of liberty and political equality: * Tend to favor chance in social, political and economic realms to better protect individuals and produce equality What is the constitution? * Fundamental principles of a government and the basic structures and procedures Two US Constitutions * Articles of confederation ( 1781-1789) * Constitution of...
Words: 2355 - Pages: 10
...Chapter 1 British Policy Incites a Rebellion - 1756-1763, Britain and France were in the Seven Years’ War, a conflict that had involved all major European powers. - Sugar Act (1764)- Including increase on taxes on imported goods such as molasses, coffee, and textiles. Monarchy: One person in charge. Very efficient, poor decisions. Oligarchy: Small group of people in charge. Can take form of a dictatorship. Nazi, Soviet Union (A junta: in charge of military small groups can also be a small group of religious leaders) Democracy: Power lies in the hand of the people. Basically a representative democracy, meaning we chose the people to make decisions. The dominant form of government today. Totalitarianism: The government was total control. Purpose is to implement the “utopian” society. Neg. side: They have to control everything, takes up a lot of resources. Gov. is inflexible, which leads to destruction of government. Authoritarianism: They don’t control everything, just enough. There isn’t a utopian vision. They control the military and the police. Only what they need to control. China is a midway point between Totalitarianism and Authoritarianism. Constitutionalism: A limited form of government. Powers are usually spelled out in a constitution that the government is obligated to follow. They are either being a democracy/monarchy. U.S is a democracy and England is a monarch. Hobbes: Claimed that we lived in a state of nature and not a good place to be. He believed were...
Words: 1972 - Pages: 8
...America help you become a future guardian of the liberties of our country? It teaches us about the foundation that our government was founded upon and that we were not free. We as the people need to protect those liberties to continue to live in the land of the free. Also it helps us to beware of what the government all installs and what are rights as a citizen are all and the laws and amendments. A great Chief Justice once said, "the Declaration is the promise, the Constitution, its fulfillment," and nothing could be more true. To fairly apply the Constitution and its structure to contemporary problems, one must never travel very far from the "self-evident truths" that men and women are "created equal;" that unalienable human rights flow from the "Laws of Nature and Nature's God;" and that the purpose of any government, including the one established under the American Constitution, is "to secure these rights.” The very important Fourteenth Amendment following the Civil War resolves to protect "privileges or immunities" and the equality of all persons under the law. Free speech is one of the most cherished liberties, but free speech often conflicts with other rights and liberties....
Words: 536 - Pages: 3
