Bill of Rights
American citizens enjoy many basic rights (freedoms and privileges). In the United States, you have the right to worship as you choose. You have the right to speak freely and to read the books you want to read. If you disagree with government polices, you have the right to protest against them. Why? Because in America, these important rights are protected by the Bill of Rights.
WHAT IS THE BILL OF RIGHTS?
The first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States are called the Bill of Rights. The Constitution is the document that lays out the basic rules of American government. The states approved the Bill of Rights in 1791, four years after the Constitution was written.
The Bill of Rights lists the rights that belong to all American citizens. These rights are considered so important that the government may not take them away.
Today, many democratic nations around the world have bills of rights that protect the basic freedoms and privileges of their citizens.
WHAT IS IN THE BILL OF RIGHTS?
The Bill of Rights protects a wide range of rights. Many of these rights are designed to defend a citizen’s personal freedoms. These rights include freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and freedom to protest against government policies.
Other rights are designed to make sure that citizens who are accused of wrongdoing are treated fairly. These include the right to a trial by jury and the right to a lawyer’s help.
HISTORY OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS
In 1783, after the American Revolution, the 13 American colonies won their independence from Great Britain. For years, the colonists had complained bitterly that Great Britain ignored their rights as English citizens. These rights were part of British law for centuries.
With independence, the colonies became states in a brand-new nation, the United States of America. Now, the states would write their own laws to determine the rights of citizens.
In 1787, many state leaders called for a new plan that would create a stronger national government. Representatives from the 13 states met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and hotly debated each point of the proposed plan. Many delegates feared a stronger government would threaten the rights of American citizens.
After much debate, the convention agreed on a new plan of government. They wrote their plan down in the document known as the United States Constitution. But many states still opposed the Constitution. Finally, the Constitution was approved after winning the support of 9 out of 13 states.
Why was there so much argument and debate? The Constitution protected few individual rights. Many Americans demanded these protections from the new national government. The U.S. Congress responded to these concerns and wrote a Bill of Rights, and the states approved them in 1791. The Bill of Rights became the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
HOW HAS THE BILL OF RIGHTS CHANGED?
The Bill of Rights is more than words on paper. They are rights that are enforced by courts in the United States. During the 20th century, the courts gradually expanded the rights of American citizens.
Originally, the Bill of Rights only protected citizens from the national government’s power. Today, the Bill of Rights protects citizens from state governments, too. Neither the U.S. Congress nor state legislatures may pass laws that overrule the Bill of Rights.
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