The United States Bill Of Rights

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The United States Bill Of Rights

• By Carina Castillo
• Tech Camp 2006

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What Is The Bill Of Rights ?

• In the United States, the Bill of Rights is the
  term for the first ten amendments to the United
  States Constitution. These amendments explicitly
  limit the Federal government's powers, protecting
  the rights of the people by preventing Congress
  from abridging freedom of speech, freedom of the
  press, freedom of assembly, freedom of religious
  worship, and the right to bear arms, preventing
  unreasonable search and seizure, cruel and
  unusual punishment, and self-incrimination, and
  guaranteeing due process of law and a speedy
  public trial with an impartial jury. In addition,
  the Bill of Rights states that "the enumeration
  in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not
  be construed to deny or disparage others retained
  by the people,"1 and reserves all powers not
  specifically granted to the Federal government to
  the citizenry or States. These amendments came
  into effect on December 15, 1791, when ratified
  by three-fourths of the States.

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What Are The Bill Of Rights?

• Subjects Date Proposed Date Ratified1stFreedoms
  of religion, speech, press, petition, and
  assembly September 25, 1789December 15,
  17911Full text2ndRight to bear arms September
  25, 1789December 15, 17911Full
  text3rdQuartering soldiers in private homes.
  September 25, 1789December 15, 17911Full
  text4thSearches and seizures warrants September
  25, 1789December 15, 17911Full text5thDue
  process of law September 25, 1789December 15,
  17911Full text6thRights of the accused
  September 25, 1789December 15, 17911Full
  text7thRight to trial by jury in civil cases
  September 25, 1789December 15, 17911Full
  text8thExcessive bail fines cruel unusual
  punishment September 25, 1789December 15,
  17911Full text9thUnenumerated rights retained
  by the people September 25, 1789December 15,
  17911Full text10thPowers reserved to the states
  or to the people September 25, 1789December 15,
  17911Full text

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When Was It Created ?
Mason had drafted the Virginia state constitution
in 1776, asserting the principle of inalienable
rights--certain individual rights that cannot be
taken away. Elected to the new House of
Representatives, James Madison agreed with Mason.
In the fall of 1789, he sponsored the first 10
amendments to the Constitution, speaking out on
freedom of religion, speech, and the press.
Ultimately, George Mason's views prevailed. When
James Madison drafted the 10 amendments to the
Constitution that were to become the Bill of
Rights, he drew heavily upon the ideas put forth
in the Virginia Declaration of Rights.
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Who Wrote The Bill Of Rights ?

• James Madison (March 16, 1751 June 28, 1836)
  was the fourth (18091817) President of the
  United States. He was the primary author of the
  United States Constitution in 1787 and, with
  Alexander Hamilton, was the chief expounder of
  its meaning in the Federalist Papers (1788).
  Working closely with Thomas Jefferson he created
  the Democratic-Republican party in the mid 1790s
  and built a system of grass roots political
  activism that was victorious in the election of
  1800. As Jefferson's Secretary of State he
  handled the Louisiana Purchase, doubling the
  nation's size, and tried to avoid war with
  Britain and France. As president he led the war
  effort in the War of 1812, which began badly but
  ended on a note of triumphant nationalism.

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The Preamble