Name: ______Date: ______

The United States Constitution

The Constitution is the highest law in the United States. All other laws come from the Constitution. It says how the government works. It creates the President. It creates the Congress. It creates the Supreme Court. Each state also has a constitution. The constitutions of the states are their highest law for that state. But the United States Constitution is higher.

The Constitution can be changed. The Constitution is changed by an "amendment." Among the amendments is a list of the rights of the people. By listing these rights, they are made special. It is illegal for the government to violate those rights. As of 2004, there are 27 amendments. Not all of them involve rights, but many do. The first ten amendments are special. They are called the Bill of Rights.

The Bill of Rights

Amendment 1:

All people have the right to express their religious beliefs or not have religious beliefs at all. The government can not prefer a specific religion. All people have the right to express their ideas, even if they are unpopular or critical of the government. The government can notcensor the press. People have the right to gather in public to express their views in a peaceful manner.

Amendment 2:

The people have the right to own guns and use them for protection.

Amendment 3:

The people will not be forced to house and care for soldiers without consent.

Amendment 4:

Prohibits police and other government officials in most situations from searching people or their homes or seizing people’s personal possessions without a reasonable belief that a crime has been committed.

Amendment 5:

The government must act in a fair manner and must follow a set of established rules. This process is called “due process.”

Amendment 6:

All people accused of committing a serious crime have the right to a fair trial, representation of a lawyer. If the accused can not afford a lawyer, the government will provide a court-appointed lawyer for free. The person accused has the right to have an unbiased jury their guilt or innocence.

Amendment 7:

All people involved in a civil dispute (no criminal activity) have the right to trial by jury.

Amendment 8:

The government can not set unreasonable bail or fines. The government must not subject prisoners to cruel and unusual punishments.

Amendment 9:

All people in prison still have rights even though their privileges have been taken away.

Amendment 10:

When a law is not written in the constitution, it is the responsibility of the state to decide whether to enforce that law.

Name:______Date: ______

Bill of Rights E-Sheet

Now that you have studied the first ten amendments of the United States Constitution, try testing your knowledge! Click the “Ctrl” button and the mouse at the same time on the web address below. It will take you to the NationalConstitutionCenter website. Click the mouse on the word “play” located on the “Save The Bill of Rights!” icon. You can visit each part of this activity at any time. Remember to circle the correct answers on this worksheet. Good luck and have fun!

  1. What right is this group of people carrying out?
  • The right to direct traffic.
  • The right to peacefully assemble.
  • The right to go to the mall with all your friends.

Bonus: Do you know in which amendment this right can be found?

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  1. What freedom is being exercised in this newspaper building?
  2. The freedom to have paper route.
  3. The freedom to read the sports section first.
  4. Freedom of the press.

Bonus: Do you know in which amendment this right can be found?

______

  1. What constitutional right helps protect a person’s privacy?
  • Protection against unreasonable searches by government agencies.
  • The right to have a secret computer password.
  • The right to keep your brother or sister from going through your stuff.

Bonus: Do you know in which amendment this right can be found?

______

  1. What right is being exercised by the accused in this picture?
  • The right to have lunch at the courthouse.
  • The right to tell people what to wear to court.
  • The right to seek advice from a lawyer.

Bonus: Do you know in which amendment this right can be found?

______

  1. What constitutional right is being exercised in this house of worship?
  • The freedom to practice your religious beliefs.
  • The freedom to play bingo.
  • The freedom to have a spaghetti dinner fundraiser.

Bonus: Do you know in which amendment this right can be found?

______

  1. What right does the accused criminal have?
  • The right to throw paper wads at a judge.
  • The right to have your parents on the jury.
  • The right to a trial by jury.

Bonus: Do you know in which amendment this right can be found?

______

  1. What right is guaranteed to people accused of committing a crime?
  • The right to blame someone else.
  • The right to due process, which is the right to fair, legal procedures.
  • The right to take a lie detector test.

Bonus: Do you know in which amendment this right can be found?

______

  1. What freedom is this student putting into action?
  • The freedom to teach your dog to speak.
  • The freedom of speech.
  • The freedom to whisper during a test.

Bonus: Do you know in which amendment this right can be found?

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