Do you know what rights the Bill of Rights guarantees to you as a U.S. citizen? If you ask around, you might be surprised how many Americans aren’t sure. Let’s change that!
-The Bill of Rights is a part of the Constitution, not a separate document.
-Our rights are God-given, not government-granted.
-The five freedoms contained in the First Amendment.
I read portions of the 10 amendments in the Bill of Rights to my 12-14-year-old students from their textbook. This was the first time any of them heard or read the Bill of Rights.
Personal Rights
When I asked the class if they knew any of the five freedoms listed in the First Amendment, a few chorused out, “freedom of speech!” (How surprising that tweens and young teens knew they had freedom of speech, right? LOL) One also knew freedom of the press.
The First Amendment lists these five freedoms:
freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition
Property Rights
I read the Fourth Amendment to my class. They never heard of it before. Contrary to what adults say is “too hard to read,” a few understood immediately that the authorities cannot come into your home and search your stuff without a warrant. (Emergencies excepted). The Fourth Amendment protects you from unreasonable searches and seizures.
The Fifth Amendment gives you personal and property rights. I had to explain to the children that you cannot be tried twice for the same crime in the same jurisdiction. You can’t be made to testify against yourself or be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.
Criminal and Civil Rights
The Sixth Amendment guarantees rights to criminal defendants. In class, we discussed that we have the right to a speedy trial, so we don’t have to sit in jail for 20 years while witnesses forget important details. The class learned that if you can’t afford a lawyer, the State must provide you with one.
The Seventh Amendment surprised the tweens and teens by saying you can go before a judge in cases that involve more than 20 dollars- a small amount by today’s standards- but it is still in the Constitution.
The Eighth Amendment says that you cannot be charged excessive bail or be subject to cruel and unusual punishment. We talked about what cruel and unusual punishment means. As you might imagine, they really got into this one!
The Rights of the People
The Ninth Amendment says that you still have certain rights even when a specific right isn’t spelled out in the Constitution. The government cannot take away rights that are there or create new ones that aren’t there.
The Tenth Amendment went over the students’ heads. It was time for class to end, and they had absorbed enough. However, this amendment says that rights not delegated to the federal government in the Constitution belong to the States or to the People.
Know Your Rights!
Understanding the Bill of Rights is the first step in protecting your freedoms. Share this article to help others learn their rights—and let’s keep the conversation going! Follow this page or visit our website for more insights into America’s founding principles and how they impact your life today.
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