Scott Poole Dr. Carlson Govt 101 October 19, 2015 Term Paper on Amendments Amendments are what hold this country together and need to be maintained. The social contract makes the assertion that the people give up a few of their freedoms and rights in exchange for protection (Barbour & Wright, 2014). This idea of freedom for the people spread to the new colonies. These new colonies gradually developed into more advanced systems of freedoms and equalities. Initially, the United States had no power in the central government with the Articles of Confederation. This led the U.S. to form the U.S. Constitution. The Constitution establishes a checks and balances system and separation of powers. The constitution is still used to operate under and is a living, breathing document. In this living document are the Bill of Rights, which guarantee civil liberties. The first ten amendments are some of the most important amendments. From freedom of speech and freedom of the press to guaranteeing that the people hold power not given to the states or government, the first 10 amendments are the premise of the nation. The government is ideally set up to support these amendments; however, in recent times, some amendments may seem unsupported by the government. The first amendment has been imposed upon in more recent times with things such as free speech zones in colleges and laws such as the Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011 (H.R 347). The Federal Restricted
The first amendment is the most important part of the Constitution because it has been the most exercised right by U.S citizens. First amendment states “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.” Meaning, as citizens, the Constitution protects our freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition the government. This amendment is a good reflection of what America represents, equality for all.
The framers of our Constitution knew that time has a way of changing countries and their citizens. Our country was in a whirlwind of change in 1789 as people were experiencing freedom from the tyranny of England for the first time in their lives. Our country was being molded and formed into a great nation by the founding fathers. Expectations and rules had to be set to protect the rights of the minorities and majorities. Amendments to the Constitution were written to ensure equality for all in changing times.
Our individual rights are the most traditional and valued accomplishment of the United States, there are other states that are not entitled to have such rights. Each of the amendments are very important to how we live in today’s society; the first ten which is the Bill of Rights grants Americans their freedom. Our founding fathers had a vision on what they wanted America to become they laid the foundation for the constitution and allowed modification if necessary they knew that America would grow and the constitution would need adjustments; that is exactly what
The first amendment is as powerful as a weapon, without it citizens would not have the power to petition or peacefully protest our opinion or thoughts. Meaning that us as a society would be powerless and have no say in our government, or how it’s run. Any person who habitats in this country has the liberty to say how they feel thus having the power to be heard. The constitution was written during the 1700’s, from authors who have personally felt and lived through the inability to be vocal. Many people believed during that time that every citizen is entitled to basic human rights, leading to the framers creating a document which is composed of the first ten amendments now known as “The Bill of Rights”. (“History of the First Amendment.” JEM
While there are many amendments to the U.S. Constitution that have impacted our society and nation, I believe that the 19th amendment to the Constitution is one of the most important events in our history. The 19th amendment states, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” (1) There are several reasons why I find this amendment to be important, and I will discuss each point. Women have been fighting in our armed forces since the civil war. Women helped colonize the United States. Women are the backbone of our society.
After the Revolutionary War, American colonists went through a transition that required the establishment of a new government, which impacted them politically, socially and economically. In addition, after their unpleasant experience under the tyrannical British government, American colonists decided to establish a government with balanced powers. This means that they would give the government enough power to protect the people while maintaining the rights of the people and the states. Also, even today the United States runs according to those principles which are written in the Constitutional Amendment. Therefore, as time passed the government has seen the need to increase the safety of its people by taking away basic unalienable rights and
"The United States Constitution is a healthy document which still serves our nation exceptionally well and does not need drastic change or revision."
Back when the United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, did not contain the essential freedoms that are now outlined in the Bill of Rights. After the Bill of Rights were adopted, the first freedoms that were guaranteed became known as the First Amendment which was written by James Madison, who was nicknamed “the father of the constitution”. The First Amendment is important today because without these rights, America would not be the “Land of the Free”. The five rights that are recorded in this amendment protects the basic liberties as well as prohibits the government from what we believe in along with how we should
The First Amendment was established on December 15, 1791. It was one of the ten amendments that constitutes the bill of rights. These amendments were made to the constitution to protect the people from the government having too much control over the people’s basic freedoms. The First Amendment simply states that congress shall make no laws that impede the people of the United States from freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press and freedom to peaceably assemble and freedom of petitioning for grievances.
In this Modern Era, there are three amendments that greatly impact us; the 13th amendment, 19th amendment, and 22nd amendment. Throughout history many important decisions and laws were made based on age, beliefs, gender, race, and ethnicity which reflect on our society today. The constitution is an important decision wisely created by the United States to protect the natural rights of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, and within the constitution are the amendments. Amendments consist of civil rights, civil rights are given to citizens to enjoy political and social freedom as well as equality. Before the 13th amendment African Americans were deprived of their life and pursuit to happiness, when the 13th amendment was ratified and abolished
The United States Constitution outlines our style of government and defines rights that are protected from intrusion of government. The first ten amendments to the Constitution are known as The Bill of Rights. Written by James Madison and introduced
The 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution protects equal rights for everybody. This includes the right to equal opportunity for education for all. Jonathan Kozol, non-fictional writer, is best known for his books on public education in the United States. In his essay “Still Separate, Still Unequal: America’s Educational Apartheid”, he talks about segregation in education and provides examples to prove that segregation is regressing all around the country. Everybody deserves the equal opportunity for education regardless of where they come from or what their situation is. Without an education everything else in life is more difficult and nearly impossible. Parents always tell their children “make sure you get an education” or
The United States Constitution was written to serve as a framework to represent U.S. law. Today, with some adjustments and modifications, the Constitution still stands as the law of the land. Within its confines, the Constitution grants a division of power between state, local, and the federal government. No government is iron clad or perfect and sometimes there are situations between all levels of government that may present conflicts of interest.
“Under modern Supreme Court jurisprudence, the right to petition, along with the right to peaceable assembly have been almost completely collapsed into Freedom of Speech.” (www.heritage.com). The U.S. Constitution was written as a new set of rules for the nation in place of the Articles of Confederation. The Constitution consists of three parts known as the Preamble, the 7 articles, and the 27 amendments. Of these amendments, the first ten are referred to as the Bill of Rights. “The Bill of Rights sets limitations on the government.” (www.constitutioncenter.org). Our five most important rights are Freedom of Speech, Press, Assembly, Petition, and Religion which are all provided by the First Amendment. To understand Freedom of
The First Amendment is one of the most beneficial amendments in our constitution. The 1st amendment was the first amendment ratified by congress. Its was ratified in the year 1791. The first amendment protects your five basic rights: freedom of speech, religion, the press, assembly and petition. This means that the government can’t set up an official church for the country or review and edit newspapers before they are printed. This amendment is essential to having a successful government. Imagine our government without the right to petition a law or act you think is wrong or have an assembly with local politicians. This amendment is important to me personally because I am a Muslim, a minority the U.S. So without the freedom to practice whatever religion I want, my family and I would not be a able to live here. This is why the 1st amendment is critical to me, and the rest of the United States.