Bill of Rights, Essay Example

Abstract

The United States Constitution is the basis of America’s legal foundation. It clarifies and defines rights as citizens, governmental control and the freedoms that citizens enjoy today. It is an important piece of history that has maintained consistency throughout the years. It was well written and has stood the test of time since our forefathers wrote it. The Bill of Rights gives citizens the right to speak freely, bear arms, and have legal representation as well as many more. It has changed the course of history and made the United States a fair and just country.

The United States Constitution

An Important Piece of History

The Constitution is commonly referred to as the supreme law for the United States of America. It sets forth rights and relationships between citizens, state and the federal government.  It establishes the three branches of government and specifies the responsibilities of each. It was born because of the conflict between Federalists and anti-Federalists, and was first drafted by James Madison in 1789. The Constitution has remained a symbol of freedom and justice for decades and represents the rights of citizens throughout the great United States. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the importance of the first amendment, significance and amendment process.

First Amendment Freedom

The first ten amendments of the Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights. These amendments limit the power of the government and spell out the rights of US citizens. The first amendment grants United States citizens the right to freedom of religion, speech, press and assembly (Mintz, 2007). Many countries do not allow their citizens to speak out or have the freedom to express their opinions. They are limited in their rights and greatly restricted in their civil liberties. The right to choose religion and practice a person’s own beliefs is extremely important. While there are differences in religions and religious practices, each and every person should have the right as well as ability to choose. One religion is not right for every person and allowing the freedom to choose is something that I feel is extremely important.

The first amendment also allows the right to speak freely and gives the press the right to report news to the citizens. Information and staying abreast of current events, good or bad, is important to society as a whole. We have a right to know what is happening and speak up about the things that we do not like or are offensive to us as individuals. The first amendment also gives individuals the right to petition the government and rally for laws that they would like to see changed (Mintz, 2007). That freedom gives the citizens a voice and allows them to have some ownership in the world that they live in.

Bill of Rights Significance & Amendments

The first ten amendments are considered to be the Bill of Rights. This document is an amazing one because of its relative short length compared too others and the amount of rights that it gives. It is specific enough to guide our country, yet broad enough to be interpreted by modern generations.  The significance of the Bill of Rights is to provide protection and freedom to the United States citizens. Not only does it provide rights, it also protects states/citizens from corruption or overbearing governmental control. It establishes a basis of checks and balances that keep powers in check within the government. It gives citizens the right to bear arms, have a fair trial with legal representation, and sets boundaries as to criminal actions against individuals such as illegal search and seizures (Bill of Rights, 2003).

The amendments are significant because they clarify and distinguish between state and federal rights. There are not hundreds of them because they specifically spell out rights, protections and meanings. There are so few amendments compared to the age of the document and in comparison to the Texas Constitution. It is amazing that these rights set forth by our forefathers have guided this country to what it is today, with relatively no change. The Constitution is referred to frequently in legal proceedings and the basis of the judicial system today.

Constitutional Amendment Process

The process of adding an amendment is a lengthy one that must be voted on by each state legislature. Congress can propose an amendment with a majority vote from both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Governor of their respective state then presents the amendment to their state legislature. The proposed amendment can then become part of the constitution if ratified by 38 of the 50 states (Constitutional Amendment Process). Because it is quite difficult there have been few amendments or changes to the US Constitution. This system keeps each states power respective and keeps a single state or group of states from unreasonable control. This is important because much of the constitutional rights could be drastically changed based on a few states or possible even a selective small interest group. In order for the country as a whole to be protected, the majority must vote to have a change or amendment made before it can be added. This process keeps self interest groups or states from adding amendments that are not beneficial for all states and citizens. In closing, the United States Constitution is the founding basis of our country. It provides protections and prevents unreasonable governmental control. While it is difficult to make changes to the constitution and few have been made to date, it is a fair and just process. The majority must rule, or otherwise it could give an unfair advantage to only a part of the country. In order to be fair and equal, all states, citizens and groups must be considered. The United States Constitution makes America what it is today, and lends itself to a wonderful place for others to desire.

References

Bill of Rights in U.S. Constitution. Dictionary of American History. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 18 May. 2011 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

Constitutional Amendment Process. National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved  May 18, 2011, from http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/constitution/

Mintz, S. (2007). Change this text to the title of the section. Digital History. Retrieved 18 May 2011, from http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=295