Bell Ringer

1
The Bill of Rights
2
My Questions

• Why were the Bill of Rights written?
• Why are historical precedents important to the
  Bill of Rights?
• Cite two examples in which certain amendments
  were implemented due to historical precedents.

3
Bill of Rights

• One of the reasons that the Constitution was
  approved by all of the states is because
  Federalists promised the Antifederalists that
  they would provide a Bill of Rights that would
  protect the rights of all citizens.
• After the Constitution was ratified, the first
  Congressled by James Madisongot to work on the
  Bill of Rights.

4
Historical Precedents to the Bill of Rights

• Madison and his fellow congressmen did not create
  the Bill of Rights out of thin air. Instead they
  looked to historical precedents that determined
  what individual rights needed to be protected.
• Documents like the Magna Carta, the English Bill
  of Rights of 1689, and the Virginia Declaration
  of Rights offered ideas about what rights to
  include.
• Also they remembered the events prior to the
  Revolution that they were upset with, like the
  quartering of British soldiers and British
  restrictions against assembling in Boston.

5
Amendments 1-3

• The first nine amendments protected individual
  rights.
• The first amendment guaranteed citizens the
  freedom of speech, press, assembly, and religion.
  (Historical Precedent 1776 Virginia Declaration
  of Rights).
• The second amendment allowed citizens the right
  to bear arms. (Historical Precedent American
  Revolution and other state constitutions).
• The third amendment stated that citizens did not
  have to quarter troops in their houses or private
  property. (Historical Precedent Quartering Act
  of 1765)

6
Amendments 4-5

• Amendments four through eight are meant to
  guarantee a fair trial for all citizens.
• The fourth amendment protects all citizens from
  unreasonable search and seizure. (Historical
  Precedent 1698 Bill of Rights).
• The fifth amendment states that all citizens have
  the right to not incriminate themselves and
  cannot be tried for the same crime again (double
  jeopardy). (Historical Precedent 1215 Magna
  Carta).

7
Amendments 6-8

• The sixth amendment guarantees convicted citizens
  a speedy and public trial decided by an impartial
  jury. (Historical Precedent 1215 Magna Carta).
• The seventh amendment guarantees that certain
  civil court cases must be decided by an impartial
  jury. (Historical Precedent 1215 Magna Carta).
• The eighth amendment protects convicted citizens
  from excessive fines and cruel and unusual
  punishment. (1689 English Bill of Rights).

8
Amendment 9-10

• The ninth amendment states that certain rights
  not listed in the Constitution are retained by
  the people.
• The tenth amendment states that certain powers
  not given to the national government are retained
  by the states.
• Madison and other Federalists wrote these last
  two amendments in a vague manner because they did
  not want to limit the power of the federal
  government too much.