The Bill of Rights: What Does it Say? (2024)

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The Bill of Rights

The Bill of Rights is the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution. It spells out Americans’ rights in relation to their government. It guarantees civil rights and liberties to the individual—like freedom of speech, press, and religion. It sets rules for due process of law and reserves all powers not delegated to the Federal Government to the people or the States. And it specifies that “the enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.”

The First Amendment

The First Amendment provides several rights protections: to express ideas through speech and the press, to assemble or gather with a group to protest or for other reasons, and to ask the government to fix problems. It also protects the right to religious beliefs and practices. It prevents the government from creating or favoring a religion.

The Second Amendment

The Second Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms.

The Third Amendment

The Third Amendment prevents government from forcing homeowners to allow soldiers to use their homes. Before the Revolutionary War, laws gave British soldiers the right to take over private homes.

The Fourth Amendment

The Fourth Amendment bars the government from unreasonable search and seizure of an individual or their private property.

The Fifth Amendment

The Fifth Amendment provides several protections for people accused of crimes. It states that serious criminal charges must be started by a grand jury. A person cannot be tried twice for the same offense (double jeopardy) or have property taken away without just compensation. People have the right against self-incrimination and cannot be imprisoned without due process of law (fair procedures and trials).

The Sixth Amendment

The Sixth Amendment provides additional protections to people accused of crimes, such as the right to a speedy and public trial, trial by an impartial jury in criminal cases, and to be informed of criminal charges. Witnesses must face the accused, and the accused is allowed his or her own witnesses and to be represented by a lawyer.

The Seventh Amendment

The Seventh Amendment extends the right to a jury trial in Federal civil cases.

The Eighth Amendment

The Eighth Amendment bars excessive bail and fines and cruel and unusual punishment.

The Ninth Amendment

The Ninth Amendment states that listing specific rights in the Constitution does not mean that people do not have other rights that have not been spelled out.

The Tenth Amendment

The Tenth Amendment says that the Federal Government only has those powers delegated in the Constitution. If it isn’t listed, it belongs to the states or to the people.

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The Bill of Rights: What Does it Say? (2024)

FAQs

The Bill of Rights: What Does it Say? ›

It spells out Americans' rights in relation to their government. It guarantees civil rights and liberties to the individual—like freedom of speech, press, and religion. It sets rules for due process of law and reserves all powers not delegated to the Federal Government to the people or the States.

What is the bill of rights quizlet answers? ›

The Bill of Rights is the first 10 amendments to the Constitution that protect the rights and freedoms of American citizens.

What are the 10 bills of Rights in simple terms? ›

Simplified United States Bill of Rights*

This amendment guarantees the right of freedom from establishment of religion, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of association, freedom for people to get together peacefully, and freedom for people to send petitions to their government.

What is 10 of the Bill of Rights? ›

10. Human dignity. Everyone has inherent dignity and the right to have their dignity respected and protected.

What is the Bill of Rights answers? ›

The Bill of Rights is the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution. It spells out Americans' rights in relation to their government. It guarantees civil rights and liberties to the individual—like freedom of speech, press, and religion.

What does it say in the Bill of Rights? ›

First Amendment: freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of assembly. Second Amendment: the right of the people to keep and bear arms. Third Amendment: restricts housing soldiers in private homes. Fourth Amendment: protects against unreasonable search and seizure.

What are the first 10 amendments simplified? ›

Bill of Rights - The Really Brief Version
1Freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.
7Right of trial by jury in civil cases.
8Freedom from excessive bail, cruel and unusual punishments.
9Other rights of the people.
10Powers reserved to the states.
5 more rows

Who made the 10 Bill of Rights? ›

Few members of the First Congress wanted to make amending the new Constitution a priority. But James Madison, once the most vocal opponent of the Bill of Rights, introduced a list of amendments to the Constitution on June 8, 1789, and “hounded his colleagues relentlessly” to secure its passage.

What are the three most important things of the Bill of Rights? ›

The Bill of Rights built on that foundation, protecting our most cherished American freedoms, including freedom of speech, religion, assembly, and due process of law.

Do the Bill of Rights protect everyone? ›

No. For the most part, the right protected by the US Federal constitution apply to anyone physically present in the US, and to anyone interaction with any US government, state, federal or local. Exceptions: The right to vote applies only to US Citizens.

What are the basic rights 5? ›

Right to freedom of speech and expression, assembly, association or union, movement, residence, and right to practice any profession or occupation (some of these rights are subject to security of the State, friendly relations with foreign countries, public order, decency or morality).

What are the 10 bills of rights in order? ›

Ratified December 15, 1791.
  • Amendment I. Freedoms, Petitions, Assembly. ...
  • Amendment II. Right to bear arms. ...
  • Amendment III. Quartering of soldiers. ...
  • Amendment IV. Search and arrest. ...
  • Amendment V. Rights in criminal cases. ...
  • Amendment VI. Right to a fair trial. ...
  • Amendment VII. Rights in civil cases. ...
  • Amendment VIII. Bail, fines, punishment.

What are amendments 10? ›

Amendment Ten to the Constitution was ratified on December 15, 1791. It makes clear that any powers that are not specifically given to the federal government, nor withheld from the states, are reserved to those respective states, or to the people at large.

What does the 10th Bill of Rights say? ›

The Tenth Amendment's simple language—“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people”—emphasizes that the inclusion of a bill of rights does not change the fundamental character of the national government.

Which best describes a Bill of Rights quizlet? ›

Which explanation best describes the Bill of Rights? Amendments to the Constitution, proposed by Anti-Federalists, that limit the power of the Federal Government and protect the rights of individuals.

What is the purpose of the Bill of Rights commonlit answers? ›

The United States Bill of Rights is the name given to the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. These ten amendments guarantee a number of freedoms or rights for citizens, limit some of the powers of the federal government, and reserve some powers to the states and public.

What is the bill of rights brainly? ›

The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. It was added to the Constitution in 1791, shortly after the Constitution was ratified. These amendments were designed to protect individual liberties and limit the power of the federal government.

How many amendments are in the Bill of Rights Quizlet? ›

"The first 10 amendments to the Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. Written by James Madison in response to calls from several states for greater constitutional protection for individual liberties, the Bill of Rights lists specific prohibitions on governmental power.

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