Unit 1-Bill or Rights, Citizenship & Due Process
Unit 1—Bill of Rights, Responsibilities of Citizens & Due Process
SS5SCG1 The student will explain how a citizen’s rights are protected under the U.S. Constitution.
A. Explain the responsibilities of a citizen.
B. Explain the freedoms granted by the Bill of Rights.
C. Explain the concept of due process of law.
D. Describe how the Constitution protects a citizen’s rights by due process.
SS5SCG1 The student will explain how a citizen’s rights are protected under the U.S. Constitution.
A. Explain the responsibilities of a citizen.
B. Explain the freedoms granted by the Bill of Rights.
C. Explain the concept of due process of law.
D. Describe how the Constitution protects a citizen’s rights by due process.
Bill of RightsThe constitution of the United States sets out the laws of the land. When it was originally written, many of the states did not want to agree to make it the law, unless some important rights and protections were added to the constitution. These additions to the constitution are called amendments. The first 10 amendments were all added together in 1791, and were called the Bill of Rights. Check out the Bill of Rights in kid friendly terms here. I also highly recommend watching the short video linked here, to get a better understanding of what the Bill of Rights actually mean for you.
What Does the Bill of Rights Actually Mean?Citizenship ResponsibilitiesWhat responsibility do citizens have? Well, for every right or privilege, you have a responsibility. You have the right to freedom of speech, which means you have responsibility to use the right in a correct manner. You should not go around saying things that are untrue or hurtful. You have the right to a fair trial by a jury of your peers. The responsibility that goes with it, is to serve on a jury if you are called to do so. You have the right to vote for different political offices, so you have the responsibility to vote when elections come around. With every right comes responsibility.
Some responsibilities come simply from having privileges rather than rights. For example, your community might have a park that you are allowed to visit. It is your responsibility to keep the park in good shape and report violations that you see taking place. If you see a vandal putting graffiti on the picnic shelter, you should notify the authorities. |
Preamble
The preamble to the constitution is simply an introduction. It explains the purpose of the constitution. Why are these laws in existence? Read the preamble and find out.
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessing of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity. Do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. Amending the ConstitutionWhat if the law needs changed? Simple. The lawmakers can propose a change or amendment. What is not so simple is convincing enough people that it needs to change. More than 11,000 amendments have been proposed, but only 27 of those new amendments passed. Ten of those amendments (Bill of Rights) were approved at the same time. Only 17 new amendments have passed since the Bill of Rights was approved in 1791. So how can a new amendment get passed:
Step 1: A congressman must propose that a new amendment needs to be passed (often times as the request of their constituents or the people they represent). Step 2: Two thirds of the U.S. House of Representatives and two thirds of the U.S. Senate must pass the amendment. Step 3: Three fourths of the states must ratify (approve) the new amendment. What is Due Process?Due process means that all citizens are guaranteed certain rights even if they have committed crimes. They cannot be required to testify against themselves (5th amendment). They have the right to have an attorney if they cannot afford one, and to a fair, speedy and public trial (6th amendment). No citizen can be tortured, no matter how bad of a crime they have committed (8th amendment). In the United States, the concept of due process means that you are considered innocent, until you have been proven guilty in the court of law. You have the right to:
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