Bill of Rights (Newsela)

What is the purpose of the Bill of Rights?

• to explain how many states needed to approve the Constitution in order for it to become law across the nation

• to clarify the rights listed in the Constitution and help people better understand what the government can and cannot tell them to do

• to provide a list of all of the possible rights a person in the United States is entitled to

• to tell people all of the things they are not allowed to do in the United States, and what the punishment is for doing them

Which amendment guarantees the right to write newsletters that criticize the government?

• Amendement I

• Amendement II

• Amendement III

• Amendement IV

Read this excerpt from the introduction [paragraphs 1-3].

The Senate and House of Representatives worked on the changes. Two-thirds of both Houses agreed that the following new

parts be sent to the States. If any of the new parts were approved by three-fourths of the states they would be amendments and

they would become part of the Constitution.

Why was it important for three-fourths of the states to approve the Bill of Rights?

• Congress wanted the states to agree together on the new rules for the country

• Three-fourths of the states were more important than the other one fourth.

• Most of the states rejected the Constitution, so Congress wanted them to approve the Bill of Rights instead.

• The rights listed in the Bill of Rights would only be given to people in the states that approved it.

Which piece of evidence MOST CLEARLY describes what should happen during a trial?

• There must be evidence that supports the arrest, except when soldiers and/or sailors of our country are at war or the people of the United States are in danger.

• The person can have his own witnesses to help him, witnesses to explain the facts and can have a lawyer to help him defend himself.

• In civil court, when a person is sued for more than 20 dollars, the right of trial by jury is still the person’s right.

• People have a right to pay a fair amount of money to stay out of jail before and at the time of the trial.

The Revolutionary War ended in 1783, five years before the Bill of Rights was written. Did this timing impact the Bill of Rights? How do you know?

• No. Amendment III references the Civil War, not the Revolutionary War.

• No. Most of the amendments do not mention the war.

• Yes. All of the amendments mention the war and rights people wished they had during the war

• Yes. Amendments II and III were written based on experiences people had during the war

Read Amendment IV.

The people have the right to protect their persons, houses, papers and things from unfair searches. Good reasons for these searches must be in writing. The permission is given to search only a certain place. Only certain, named people or things that have been written can be taken.

Which word MOST helps the reader understand that the written permission for a search must list EXACTLY which people and places can be searched?

• protect

• unfair

• reasons

• certain

Which line from Amendment I was influenced by colonists who left England because they did not want to be forced to be a member of the Church of England?

• Congress shall not set up one national or state religion

• No law can stop freedom of speech.

• No law can stop freedom of the press.

• No law can stop people from meeting and talking.

Read Amendment V.

In the sentence below from this amendment, how do the words "never" and “forced” affect the tone?

Never shall the person on trial be forced in any criminal case to be a witness against himself.

• They give a sense of wanting to protect people who are on trial

• They give a sense of wanting to forgive people who are on trial

• They give a sense of wanting to control people who break laws.

• They give a sense of being suspicious of people who break laws.