During the construction of the US constitution, many founding fathers debated on what rights citizens should have what rights should be the most important. James Madison introduced eight rights citizens are entitled to, and from that came he final 10 amendments to the Bill of rights. It wasn’t easy getting to the final Bill of Rights as there have been much debate and controversy on what they mean. Using Madison’s 1789 speech as a pretext to the bill of rights, Congress made right decisions and wrong decision particularly in areas of ensuring rights of the minority, making clear the use of arms and clarifying how government is for the people. Firstly, what the current Bill of Rights fails to do is protect the minority from the majority’s overwhelming representation and power. James Madison clearly states in his speech when regarding minorities that “The exceptions here or elsewhere in the constitution, made in favor of particular rights, shall not be so construed as to diminish the just importance of other rights retained by the people, or as to enlarge the powers delegated by the constitution; but either as actual limitations of such powers, or as inserted merely for greater caution” (Madison, 456). What Madison means is when giving people rights, congress cannot infringe on other people’s rights as a result. For example, Plessy V. Ferguson, the infamous court that legalized separation but equal treatment between blacks and whites infringed on African American’s
Is our Bill of Rights necessary? Does it put a limit on our government, or on our liberty? Do these ten amendments hold the same meaning today as they did two-hundred and fourteen years ago? Are they now or have they ever been relevant? These questions were debated by our nation’s founding fathers in the eighteenth century and continue to be debated by the historians, academics, and political scientists today. Over the course of the last two centuries, its meaning has been twisted and stretched by the interpretation and misinterpretation of our legislature and, most of all, by the Supreme Court wielding its power of judicial review. It is my belief that these rights were and are absolutely essential to
James Madison is the creator of the Bill of Rights and Constitution. When the congress met in 1789, no one seemed in a hurry to amend the Constitution. However, James Madison didn’t forget the promises made during the ratification debate. Originally, the Bill of Rights was going to be added to the Constitution, which seemed unnecessary to him. Madison had written one hundred amendments. He chose ones that seemed less likely to cause conflict, he presented these to the Congress on June 8, 1789. Congress finally approved of twelve amendments. The states still had to ratify these amendments. Nine of the states approved ten of the twelve amendments.
The Bill of Rights and the 14th amendment are very important aspects of our government and the way it functions. The Bill of Rights, or the first ten amendments, was ratified in 1791. The 14th amendment was ratified 77 years later, in 1868. Thesel 11 amendments were created to protect the rights of the people. Before the Constitution was ratified, the anti-federalists demanded a Bill of Rights be attached. Afraid of the government gaining too much power like Britain had before, the anti-federalists would not support the Constitution until a Bill of Rights was guaranteed. Eventually, the Founding Fathers ensured the people that a Bill of Rights would be added directly after the Constitution was ratified. James Madison wrote the list of ten amendments
In 1791, the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution to guarantee a limited government and protect the rights of the American people from the federal government. The 14th amendment was added later in 1868 in order to ensure due process for all and equal protection under the law. Many people have debated the effectiveness of these documents and called into question whether the freedoms of Americans are being protected. However, they have remained throughout the years as a steadfast guide for the basic freedoms we as Americans hold. The Bill of Rights and 14th amendment are effective because they have created a framework for court cases that have further refined and protected our freedoms, inspired action by the president and Congress to
The United States Constitution was ratified and made law September 17, 1789. For Americas yet-to-be history the Framers knew the Constitution had to have a way to grow and change with the people, and their needs. This paper will cover the amendment process, the need for the Bill of Rights, how the Bill of Rights has affected America, what the Bill of Rights have granted American’s, discuss the later amendments, and what effect the later amendments have had.
In 1791, a vital document for the United States of America was written. The Bill of Rights. James Madison fulfilled the Anti-Federalists wishes by adding a list of rights to the constitution in order for the document to be ratified. The Bill of Rights addresses rights and freedoms which were violated under British rule. Although all 10 amendments are important, I have analyzed each one and ranked their importance. In 1791, some amendments would seem more important than others due to the recent events from the Revolution. Each amendment is relevant in its own way but some are exercised more than others by individuals in the United States. The first amendment of the Bill of Rights is the most important amendment.
In 1791, the Bill of Rights was drafted by congress after arguments ensued over whether the Constitution would uphold the rights of the American people. James Madison proposed twelve Amendments so to limit the power of government, allowing for a more stately and locally controlled system but, only ten were ratified. The ten amendments to be ratified were created to give American citizens freedoms they did not have under British rule. However, in current society the freedoms protected in the Bill of Rights are conflicted by the federal government and the confliction are justified as being beneficial for the general public. The altered interpretations of the Bill of Rights have forsaken freedom of speech, allowed unjustified search and seizure,
1. In 1789, James Madison wrote the Bill of Rights, which lists specific constraints on federal control in a set of 10 amendments ratified by the states. Liberty, meaning freedom from governmental and economic control, was the central factor and of utmost importance in the eyes of Madison and his fellow founding fathers when drafting the Bill of Rights. Protecting the peoples’ respective personal liberties such as freedom of speech and the right to exercise particular religious beliefs played a vital role in the creation of these amendments however limits were also placed on the freedoms granted in order to preserve the nation’s wellbeing.
In order to calm the Anti-Federalist’s concerns over an abusive regime, the constitution was amended to include a list of the basic rights of the people. This came to be known as the bill of rights. Two specific amendments included in the bill of rights that eased the Anti-Federalist’s worries were the first and the tenth. The first amendment secured some of the most important rights of individual. Specifically an individual’s right to speech, expression, assembly, and petition all of which are essential to checking a government that is becoming too powerful. The tenth amendment secured the rights of the states. Giving states control of the powers not wielded by the federal government. These amendments along with all others included in the bill of rights secured a balance with lead to prosperity and
As stated by the Bill of Rights Institute (2016), the Federalists’ wanted the Constitution to rethink the need of a Bill of Rights. In contrast, the Anti-Federalists’ considered the Bill of Rights to be beneficial, in which it could protect the freedom of the American people (Bill of Rights Institute, 2016). In addition to James Madison’s role as a U.S. House of Representative, he continued with the Constitution—making changes sought out to be the most suitable for the American people (Bill of Rights Institute, 2016). Unfortunately, many other Representatives opposed of Madison’s adjustments.
The United States Constitution was recognized to Americans as a vague statement in clarifying the privileges and the rights of individuals and centralizing the power within the government itself. With the passing of the Bill of Rights and the first ten amendments, it grants the people to what is said to be their “natural rights” following additional rights that have significantly changed our society.
The Bill of Rights became a very important document in the United States Constitution in order to ensure United States citizens equal protection of their rights and liberties. The main objective of the Bill of rights was to place limits on the national government creating an understanding and dividing the powers between the states and the national government. Not all the powers were granted to the national government however not all the powers were prohibited to the states. As stated by Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir & Tolbert (2015) the bill of rights consists of 10 amendments incorporated in the U.S constitution. It is important to note that each amendment contains a legal court case in which the supreme court as well as the government have ruled and have ignored or have protected the rights of the individuals involved.
Created September 25,1978 and ratified December 15, 179, the Bill of Rights was imputed into society as a tool to establish law,order, and morality. James Madison, a political theorist, was known as the father of the Bill of Rights. One of the most important amendments in the Bill of Rights is the right to freedom of speech, expression and media. In the Bill of Rights, the 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.” The First Amendment guarantees the citizens of America that they have the right to freely express themselves about anything, including political arguments and views. This amendment also guarantees the press/media the right to overtly publish their ideas on any topic in the newspaper. The purpose of this amendment is to assure America’s people that they shouldn’t worry about being censored or punished for the expression of their feelings because they are human just as everyone else.
Do you know what keeps, and has kept America in order since 1789? That would be The Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights is simply the first ten amendments. Written by James Madison, The Bill of Rights lists specific prohibitions on governmental power. The Bill of Rights was officially added into the constitution in 1791. The amendments are on display in the National Archives Museum.
One of the major topics within both the government and the general public today is the concept of citizens rights and morals being upheld accordingly by both the law and by Congress in accordance with the Constitution. However, the majority of the people who recognized that they are entailed to certain laws upheld by the Constitution, are often mistake by the realization that although they are most definitely entitled to these laws… there is a big difference between the laws that uphold ones’ liberties and the laws that uphold ones’ rights.