A 3minute guide to the Bill of Rights Belinda Stutzman
Transcriber: tom carter
Reviewer: Bedirhan Cinar
The first 10 amendments
to the U.S. Constitution –
also known as the Bill of Rights –
were ratified or passed
over 200 years ago.
But even though they’re a bit, well, old,
these first 10 amendments are still
the most debated and discussed section
of our Constitution today.
So, can you remember what they are?
Let’s take a look.
The First Amendment
is the freedom of speech,
press, religion, assembly and petition.
This may be the most revered
of the amendments.
The First Amendment protects our rights
to say and write our opinions,
worship how we please,
assemble together peacefully
and petition our government,
if we feel the need.
The Second Amendment
is the right to bear arms.
The original intent
of the Second Amendment
was to protect colonists
from the invading British soldiers,
but it now guarantees
that you have the right
to own a gun to defend
yourself and your property.
The Third Amendment is called
the “Quartering” amendment.
It was written in response
to the British occupation,
and as a result of the colonists
having to house – or quarter –
soldiers in their homes
during the American Revolution.
Because of this amendment,
our government can never force us
to house soldiers in our home.
The Fourth Amendment
is the right to search and seizure.
The police can’t come into our home
without a search warrant
and take our personal property.
Today, many concerns have arisen
about our rights to privacy in technology.
For example, can the government track
your location with your smartphone,
or can social media postings
such as on Facebook and Twitter
be used without a warrant?
On to the Fifth:
It’s all about due process.
You’ve probably heard the phrase
“I plead the Fifth”
in movies or on TV.
They’re talking about the Fifth Amendment,
which says that you don’t have to take
the witness stand against yourself
if you may end up incriminating yourself.
OK, we’re halfway done.
The Sixth and Seventh Amendments
are about how the legal system works.
If you’re accused of a crime,
you have the right to a speedy
public trial and an impartial jury.
You also have the right to a lawyer,
and the right to take
the stand if you choose.
This is important because it will prevent
the accused from sitting in prison forever
and insists that the prosecution
proceed with undue delay.
The Seventh says you have
the right to a jury trial,
where 12 impartial peers decide
your innocence or guilt in the courtroom,
as opposed to a judge doing it all alone.
The Eight Amendment prohibits
cruel and unusual punishment.
Is the death penalty cruel? Is it unusual?
It’s hard for Americans to agree
on the definitions of cruel and unusual.
The Ninth and Tenth Amendments
are called the non-rights amendments.
They say that the rights
not listed in the Bill of Rights
are retained by the people in the states.
We have other rights
that are not listed in the Constitution,
and the states have the right
to make their own policies,
like instituting state taxes.
So now you know all 10 amendments.
Can you remember them all?
If not, remember this:
the Bill of Rights is a crucial piece
of American history,
and though society
has undergone many changes
these past 200 and some years,
the interpretation and application
of these amendments are as vital today
as they were when they were written.