The Bill of Rights

At first, the Constitution did not include a bill of rights. Many people thought it was a mistake that the Constitution did not have one. That problem was fixed by the first ten amendments, our Bill of Rights. The amendments of the Bill of Rights protect the basic freedoms of individuals. These include freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom to protest government actions peacefully, and the right to a fair trial.

These amendments guarantee that people accused of crimes will have a lawyer. They are guaranteed that they will be given a trial held in the open—not in secret. People convicted of a crime are guaranteed they will not receive “cruel and unusual punishment.” These amendments also guarantee a free government and an open society. Sometimes we may have to listen to people whose ideas we do not share. This is part of living in a free country. Freedom, as protected by the Bill of Rights, means we must tolerate those who disagree with us. It also means we respect those who have a different religion from ours or no religion at all.

The Bill of Rights allows people to peacefully fight for what they think is fair.