Bill of Rights for Kids Learn about these 10 amendments of the Constitution
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Have you ever heard of the Bill of Rights? Did you know it's a document that lists ten specific amendments to the Constitution of the United States? The Bill of Rights for Kids video explains the rights that each of these ten amendments grants citizens of the United States. You and your kids will also learn where the ideas for such rights came from.
Four documents in particular contributed to the formation of the Bill of Rights: the Magna Carta, the Articles of Confederation, the Virginia Declaration of Rights, and the English Bill of Rights. It's important to note, though, that our Bill of Rights was not originally part of the Constitution. The Constitution of the United States, which focused on how the country should be governed, was written in 1787. It wasn't until several years later that the Bill of Rights was added to specify rights of the country's citizens.
The First Amendment is one of the most famous, or at least, most people know what rights they have because of the First Amendment: freedom of speech, religion, assembly and press. Other amendments are less familiar, such as the Seventh Amendment that deals with civil cases in which a person has a right to have a jury make the final decision in their lawsuit. And the Ninth Amendment is like a blanket that covers other rights. Basically, it states that there are other rights people have that might not be listed in the Constitution.
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What is the Bill of Rights? For Kids
Have you ever heard of the Bill of Rights? Do you know what they are?
Well, today is your lucky day because we are going to talk all about the Bill of Rights
and their importance to the United States of America.
First, let's talk about the difference between a right and a privilege.
Because, like the name suggests, the Bill of Rights guarantees certain things.
A right is a freedom that cannot be taken away from you.
A privilege is something that is not guaranteed or protected.
For example, if you have a driver's license, the state you live in
can take that license from you if you commit a crime.
A driver's license is a privilege.
On the other hand, if you wanted to gather in a group to protest something that you disagree with
or gather to support something you agree with,
the Bill of Rights promises that you have the right to do so.
So, what is the Bill of Rights?
It all starts with the Constitution of the United States.
Back in 1776, when the United States first became a country,
it needed a set of laws and rules for the citizens and the government to follow.
The United States Constitution was written in 1787
and became the central law for the United States in 1788.
When it was first written, the Constitution did not include rights for American citizens
because it was more focused on how the country should be governed,
which is why the Bill of Rights was written.
In the year 1791, 10 new amendments, or changes, were added to the Constitution.
These 10 amendments are called the Bill of Rights.
These amendments ensured certain freedoms and rights for American citizens.
The Bill of Rights was based on other historical documents,
including the Magna Carta, the Articles of Confederation,
the Virginia Declaration of Rights, and the English Bill of Rights.
Founding father James Madison is the man who first introduced the Bill of Rights
to the United States Congress.
Here is an interesting fact.
Originally, there were 12 amendments passed by Congress,
but the states only agreed to 10 of them.
Out of the other two amendments, one has been passed, but not until the year 1992.
And one amendment is still pending, or waiting to be passed.
Let's take a look at each amendment individually.
The First Amendment might be the most famous of them all.
It guarantees four main freedoms.
Freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, and freedom of assembly.
On to the Second Amendment.
This one refers to the right to bear arms, or, in other words, to own a weapon.
The intent of the Second Amendment is often in the spotlight.
Some believe it was intended for armies,
and others believe that it was intended for individual people.
Talk to your parents more about this amendment if you have questions.
Amendment 3 states that it is illegal during peacetime
for soldiers to enter a person's private home without permission.
Here is another interesting fact.
This amendment was made because of the events that happened during the Revolutionary War.
Do you know what a search warrant is?
A search warrant is a special paper that must be signed by a judge
before police or other law enforcement officials are allowed to search or to take a person's
property, like a home, car, cell phone, or computer.
The Fourth Amendment protects people from what is called
unlawful search and seizure by the police.
Have you heard the phrase,
I plead the Fifth?
That saying comes from the Fifth Amendment.
It means you have the right to stay silent in court if you do not want to testify.
This amendment also gives people the right to fair treatment in court.
You cannot be charged with a serious crime without a jury
meeting to decide if there is enough evidence.
If you are found innocent of a crime, you cannot be charged for the same crime again.
If you are charged with a crime, the Sixth Amendment guarantees you the right to have
a speedy public trial in front of a jury made up of people in your community.
You also have the right to know the charges against you,
to face your accusers, and to choose your own lawyer.
Amendment 7 states that in a civil case,
like a lawsuit, a person also has a right to have a jury make the final decision.
The Eighth Amendment protects people from what are called cruel or unusual punishments.
This means that if you are found guilty of a crime,
the punishment must be reasonable for that crime.
And if you are arrested, your bail or fines also have to be reasonable.
The Ninth Amendment is interesting because it acts kind of like a blanket or an umbrella
for all of the rights that are not listed in the Constitution.
According to the Ninth Amendment, just because something is not written,
it does not mean that it is not a right.
Last but not least is Amendment Number 10.
The Tenth Amendment gives the power that the United States government does not have
to the states or to the people.
That means that if something is not found in the Constitution,
it cannot be decided by Congress and is up to individuals and the states.
Sometimes, like with the Second Amendment,
people disagree on what the true intention of the law is.
And sometimes, the explanation of a law changes over time.
Because there have been a whole lot of changes that have happened to society
since the year 1791.
This is why you will sometimes see court cases about certain issues
go before the Supreme Court of the United States.
It is pretty cool to see all branches of our government working together.
Phew! That was a lot of information.
Let's do a quick review to see what you remember.
True or False?
There are 10 amendments in the Bill of Rights.
True!
What is one of the four freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment?
Freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, or freedom of assembly?
Fill in the blank.
James ____ was the man who introduced the Bill of Rights to Congress.
James Madison
Nicely done, Bill of Rights scholars!
The Bill of Rights is an important part of American rules and laws.
They help each citizen of the country to be treated with fairness and respect.
And they ensure certain rights for all people.
Hope you had fun learning with us.
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