 Bill of Rights
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| Bill of Rights
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To play the MIDI file
Battle Hymn of the Republic
Click on the link.
How many of you just accept that they will always be there for us?
How many of you feel that the era of Big Brother is not at all that far away?
How many of you feel that the truth lies somewhere in the middle?
Let's start with the Original Twelve Amendments:
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Congress of the United States begun and held at the City of New-York, on Wednesday the Fourth of March, one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine. |
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THE Conventions of a number of the States having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best insure the beneficent ends of its institution RESOLVED by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, two thirds of both Houses concurring, that the following Articles be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States, as Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, all or any of which Articles, when ratified by three fourths of the said Legislatures, to be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of the said Constitution; viz.: |
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ARTICLES in addition to, and Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, proposed by Congress, and ratified by the Legislatures of the several States, pursuant to the fifth Article of the original Constitution. |
Article the first [Not Ratified] |
| After the first enumeration required by the first Article of the Constitution, there shall be one Representative for every thirty thousand, until the number shall amount to one hundred, after which the proportion shall be so regulated by Congress, that there shall be not less than one hundred Representatives, nor less than one Representative for every forty thousand persons, until the number of Representatives shall amount to two hundred; after which the proportion shall be so regulated by Congress, that there shall not be less than two hundred Representatives, nor more than one Representative for every fifty thousand persons. |
Article the second [Amendment XXVII - Ratified 1992] |
| No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened. |
Article the third [Amendment I] |
| Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. |
| Article the fourth[Amendment II] |
| A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. |
| Article the fifth [Amendment III] |
| No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law. |
| Article the sixth [Amendment IV] |
| The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. |
| Article the seventh [Amendment V] |
| No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. |
| Article the eighth [Amendment VI] |
| In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence. |
| Article the ninth [Amendment VII] |
| In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law. |
| Article the tenth [Amendment VIII] |
| Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. |
| Article the eleventh [Amendment IX] |
| The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. |
| Article the twelfth [Amendment X] |
| The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. |
EXTRAS
The following amendments are not part of the Bill of Rights, however, they do have
a tendency to get a lot of mention. Some by the states, some by extremists, tax
protestors, etc.
This was the first of the post-Civil War amendments. Everyone was told that slaves
were no longer chattel. They were human beings and had to be treated as such.
Unfortunately, not everyone got the word. Believe it or not, there were still some
folks that felt that even though they were no longer slaves, they still were not
citizens and therefore had no rights. We had to pass another amendment to say "Hey,
guys, we really mean it. These folks are people just like you and they need to be
accorded the full rights of citizenship." The problem here is that the courts
have not gotten around to ruling that *all* of the rights were to passed on down
to the states. The court has only ruled on the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Eighth
Amendments.
This is the amendment that some of the tax protestors say was never ratified. Sorry,
it was. I am providing some links to cases that will show what verdicts some of
those protestors received.
This amendment changed the way our Senators are elected. This is another amendment
that some folks will try to claim has never been properly ratified. I will provide
links to some of those cases also.
