Amendment 1-Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press. Assembly and Petition

The first ten amendments to the Constitution ensure basic freedoms and are known as the Bill of Rights.  Under the First Amendment, Congress cannot make laws:

1) setting up an official religion

2)preventing people from practicing their religion;

3)stopping people or the press for saying what the want;

4) preventing people from gathering peacefully and asking the government to listen to their complaints and to correct problems. 

Amendment 2-Right to Keep Weapons

People have the right to keep weapons and be part of the state militia (today the National Guard)

Amendment 3-Protection Against Quartering Soldiers

Amendment 4-Freedom from Unreasonable Search and Seizure

People are protected against unreasonable arrests and searches of their homes and property.  The search a person's home or property, the government must get a search warrant, or special approval, describing exactly what place is to be searched and what items are expected to be found. 

Amendment 5-Rights of Persons Accused of a Crime

A person cannot be charged with a serious crime unless a grand jury, or a group of citizens appointed to study criminal evidence, decides that a good reason exists to put the person on trial.  (The only exceptions are cases involving people in the armed forces. )A person judged innocent by a court  of law cannot be put on trial again of the same crime.  People on trial cannot be forced to testify, or speak in court, against themselves.  A person cannot have life, liberty, or property taken away unless fairly decided by a court of law.  If the government takes away property for public use, a fair price must be paid to the owner. 

Amendment 6-Right to a Jury Trial in Criminal Cases

In all criminal cases, a person accused of a crime has the right to a fast, public trial by a fair jury in the place where the crime took place.   All persons accused of a crime have the right to:

1) know the charges against them;

2) hear the evidence and witnesses against them;

3) call witnesses in their defense;

4) have a lawyer. 

Amendment 7-Right to a Jury Trial in Civil Cases

A person has the right to a trial by jury in civil, or noncriminal , cases involving more than $20. 

Amendment 8-Protection from Unfair Fines and Punishment

The government cannot require very high bail. or deposit of money, from a person accused of a crime.  People convicted of crimes cannot be fined an unfairly high amount.  Nor can they be punished in a cruel or unusual way. 

Amendment 9- Other Rights of the People

The rights of the people are not limited to those stated in the Constitution.

Amendment 10--Powers of the States and the People

Powers not granted to the United States government and not forbidden to the states are left to the states or to the people.