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Ratification of the Bill of Rights
The ratification of the Bill of Rights was the first official protection of individual liberties in the United States. It played a key role in the ratification of the constitution. The need for a document that protected the rights of the people arose during the ratification process when Anti Federalists feared that the constitution was overreaching. Each of the rights included in the Bill has its own history, but many can be traced to the inequality felt by the colonists under British rule. -
Fourth Amendment
The fourth amendment is the right to security and privacy in our homes, search and seizure cannot happen without a warrant. Under British rule, many of the colonists' homes were searched by the British under a general warrant. In the Virginia Declaration of Right, a ban on general warrants was introduced and then later included in the Bill of Rights. Today, with technology and the internet, concerns surrounding the fourth amendment and what the government can and cannot do have arisen. -
First Amendment
The first amendment grants freedom of speech, the press, assembly and religion. The different parts of this amendment each have different origins. The right to petition comes from the Magna Carta, people could petition the king without fear of prosecution. The right to religious freedom comes from the many people who came to the US in search of religious refuge because they were being persecuted in England. Freedom of expression, assembly and the press are key elements of a democratic society. -
Second Amendment
The second amendment is the right to bear arms. This amendment is a part of the Bill of Rights and originated to help colonists protect themselves from the British during the American Revolution. Today, this amendment is heavily debated because though it gives us the right to defend ourselves and our property it also allows almost anyone to have access to a dangerous weapon. -
Tenth Amendment
The tenth amendment grants powers not given to the federal government in the constitution to the states. Before the ratification of the constitution, state governments were much more powerful. The constitution broke up that power and made the central government stronger. However, some colonists believed that the government was becoming too powerful. Giving powers to the states that aren't given to the government allows for a more balanced government and helped to satisfy the Anti Federalists. -
Thirteenth Amendment
The thirteenth amendment is the abolition of slavery, except for punishment of a crime. This amendment was ratified after the civil war and freed all slaves. As the war progressed, many slaves escaped and joined Union armies. Lincoln was able to use the abolition of slavery as a military strategy and to satisfy his morals. The abolition of slavery took many years and unfortunately, long after its end, racism, oppression and inequality still remain in the US. -
Fourteenth Amendment
The fourteenth amendment gave citizenship the individual liberties guaranteed by citizenship to African Americans. This amendment was ratified after the civil war and the abolition of slavery. It was a key part of the abolition of slavery. Though it grants equal protection to African Americans, segregation laws existed long after the ratification of this amendment. The 'separate but equal' policy adopted after the passing of this amendment perpetuated discrimination against African Americans. -
Fifteenth Amendment
The fifteenth amendment gave the right to vote to all African American men. Like the thirteenth and fourteenth amendments, the fifteenth amendment was ratified after the civil war and the abolition of slavery. All three of these amendments were large steps in the fight for equality in the United States. Black voters influenced policy and help political office during the Reconstruction period. Unfortunately, this amendment did not extend to African American women. -
Nineteenth Amendment
The nineteenth amendment gave women the right to vote. The women's suffrage movement began in 1848. The fight for equal voting rights for men and women was a long and difficult one, the 19th amendment wasn't passed until 1920. The movement became nationally known and recognized after the convention held in Seneca Falls. Before the ratification of the 19th amendment, support was built up until the American Woman Suffrage Association could lobby congress and get the amendment ratified. -
Twenty-fourth Amendment
The 24th amendment outlawed poll taxes in national elections, poll taxes in state and local elections were later outlawed by the supreme court. Though the fifteenth amendment gave African Americans the right to vote, in some southern states, laws were passed to make it as difficult as possible for African Americans to vote. One part of this was poll taxes. The 24th amendment is a part of the Voting Rights Act fought for by civil rights activists like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s. -
Twenty-sixth amendment
The 26th amendment gave the right to vote to people over 18. Previously, the voting age had been 21. Starting in World War 2 and growing during the Vietnam war, young people being drafted into the army believed they deserved the right to vote if their representatives and president were going to send them to war. Securing the right to vote for 18 year olds was a huge victory for youth rights.
