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Importance Of Individual Liberties In The Bill Of Rights Essay

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“A Bill of Rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular, and what no just government should refuse”--- Thomas Jefferson December 20, 1787. The founders believed that the bill of rights was written to give the people a document that stated their individual liberties. Furthermore, they felt that it was extremely important that the government went by exactly what was stated in the documents. In regards to the general welfare and security, the government has the bargain with the Founding Fathers on the importance of the individual liberties guaranteed in the Bill of Rights in many ways.
One example of our government compromising on the liberties in the bill of rights is freedom of speech. In concerns of the Bill of Rights, the term “freedom of speech” doesn’t really means the people are 100 % free to say whatever they want. If this was the case, most things would be very different. For instance, in the Washington Redskins trademark case, their name “Redskin” is offensive to Asian-Americans. Some of that race could take it in their consideration to sue this team for the provocative name. they are able to sue and make an argument or, in other words, a “ case” on this because of the first amendment. This is evident in the first amendment when it …show more content…

For this reason, the government can’t ban guns. However, they can impose certain limitations on what guns you can buy. Also, where you buy the guns from, when you buy them from, and who has access to them. In further explanation of the concept of who has access to them, the government has the right as well to prevent citizens such as convicted felons. This is apparent in the second amendment when it states, “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be

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In Massachusetts, the Anti-Federalists, led by James Madison, argued that the Bill of Rights was necessary to protect people rights from the government because the government might get too powerful and hurt people’s rights and freedom. They had this fear because they suffered from the British tyranny and worried that the highly centralized government would make the miserable history happen again. Nevertheless, in favor of the government, the Federalists insisted that the Bill of Rights were unnecessary because the Constitution already limited the power of government, so it would not get too powerful. Also, they worried that people might forget to list certain rights in the Bill of Rights, so if later they were fighting for their rights that were not written in the document, the government might use it against them. Eventually, a compromise was made through a vote in Massachusetts; Anti-Federalists agreed to ratify the Constitution without the Bill of Rights, but they should also submit amendments for the Congress to consider adding the Bill of Rights.

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Hence Federalists came up with the Bill of Rights as a way to get the Constitution ratified and for people to really see a needed change. The Bill Of Rights which lists specific prohibitions on governmental power, lead the Anti-Federalists to be less fearful of the new Constitution . This guaranteed that the people would still remain to have rights, but the strong central government that the country needed would have to be approved. The 1804 Map of the nation shows that even after the ratification of the United States Constitution there still continued to be “commotion” and dispute in the country.(Document 8) George Washington stated that the people should have a say in the nation and government and everything should not be left to the government to decide.(Document 3) Although George Washington was a Federalist many believed he showed a point of view that seemed to be Anti-Federalists. Many believed that The Bill of Rights needed to be changed and modified and a new document’s time to come into place.

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When writing the Constitution, the Federalists, which included Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, had stated the rights and liberties of the civilians within the Constitution. Alexander Hamilton, a federalist, believed that if a Bill of Rights was to be created then the whole idea of republican government would fall apart. As stated in a federalist letter, " [the constitution] would contain various exceptions to powers not granted, and on this very account would afford a colorable pretext to claim more than were granted”(Federalist No. 71, Alexander Hamilton). The Constitution stated that all free people had equal rights. Rights that were implicit, which connected to fixing all the problems within the government and the people.

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They believed it was essential that individual rights were explicitly stated so that citizens were informed and could defend their own liberty (Cornell, 2012). The Federalists initially believed that a Bill of Rights was not necessary, as the states retained any rights and powers not explicitly granted to the federal government. Seeking to get the Constitution ratified, the Federalists agreed to write a Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights Institute, a non-profit foundation that aims to educate students, explains: The Bill of Rights is a list of limits on government power. For example, what the Founders saw as the natural right of individuals to speak and worship freely was protected by the First Amendment’s prohibitions on Congress from making laws establishing a religion or abridging freedom of speech.

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Our founding fathers created the Bill Of Rights which are the first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States. One of the most important amendments is the Fourth Amendment. It states “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized”(p. 11). What are our founding fathers were trying to do is keep our country from a police state, a state in which law enforcement could enter our homes without probable cause. This protection provides the citizens of the

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A bill of rights was added to ensure that the federal government would not have too much power over

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The Constitution, which was written in 1787, was not fully supported by the citizens of the United States (Buescher). Citizens of the United States felt that their natural rights regarding life and property were not being upheld or protected by the United States Constitution. From a response to these complaints came the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights, written by James Madison in 1789, holds the first 10 amendments, or alterations, to the United States Constitution. Madison, a member of the United States House of Representatives, proposed the Bill of Rights in response to requests from states and citizens who believed that the Constitution did not protect basic human individual liberties (Bobb).

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The Anti-Federalist were correct that the Bill of Rights was necessary to guard citizens from tyranny. Anti-Federalist wanted to have a limited government to protect against tyranny because to much power in one hand could limit the right to the people. To prevent this a constitution was created to divide power and keep the government in check. The constitution was a document that states and the government acknowledge and with hold. Although this happened the Anti-Federalist argue that the Bill of Rights were need to safeguard the liberty of the people, but Federalist argued that the constitution did not need a Bill of Rights because the people and the stares kept any power not given to the federal government.

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The first 10 amendments to the Constitution make up the Bill of Rights which was written by James Madison. He wrote The Bill Of Rights in response of calls from several states for greater constitutional protection of individual liberties. The people who signed the declaration made a promise to protect the people from the government. The colonist wanted to keep their rights because they had a fear of a tyrannical government. People believed and were taught that The Bill Of Rights came from the desire to protect the liberties won in the American Revolution.

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One with checks and balances to protect citizens from falling back into an absolutist form of government. Rights were seen as things for the government to protect, even on occasion from itself. The Bill of Rights, written by James Madison, declared citizens as free from the government, while also placing restrictions on governmental power. Government was now seen, not as apart of the people, but as an operation that serves the people. This differs from the previous views of the monarchy in England, where the people served the monarchy.

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James Madison is the most famous for being the father of the Constitution. He created the bill of rights. James Madison expanded American territory. He was the 4th president of the United states. James Madison was the father of the Constitution.

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(Lawson). With the rights of people protected in the bill of rights, the government cannot manipulate or abuse the rights of its citizens easily. “ANTIFEDERALISTS did not necessarily regard a bill of rights as a legally enforceable set of claims that individuals could invoke; rather, they thought of it as a statement of principles that would enable the people to judge the legitimacy of acts of government” (Rakove). This also help the government to appear more legitimate, formal and more like a for the people type of government. “Opponents of the Constitution believed that the

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In the late 1700’s, James Madison wrote the first Ten Amendments that are listed in the United States Constitution. The Bill of Rights were written to ensure American citizens that they have freedoms and rights that the government can 't infringe. Out of the Ten Amendments, I believe that the First and Eighth Amendment are the most significant. The First Amendment grants us freedom of speech, religion, press, petition, and for people to assemble peaceably.

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In the past, the major gun control legislations that have been put into effect have not stopped people from obtaining firearms (Gun Control.) There have also been cases in the past where cities have attempted to ban handguns. After the ban was put into effect, murder rates tended to rise instead of drop, unlike what most people might assume. Crime rates and violence also skyrocketed after the bans were put into effect. Another problem with taking guns away, or banning them, is that the government cannot expect everyone to abide by the laws.

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My decision to make the Bill of Rights my monument was solely intended to commemorate one of America’s most needed and significant documents that has helped our civil liberties till this day. The Bill of Rights was made by James Madison when several states called for a new document that had greater constitutional protection of individual rights. Each amendment encases something that almost all Americans do every day, without them we wouldn’t be the America we know and love today. Many of the rights Americans love were not implemented into the Constitution such as speech, religion, and the right to fair trial were not placed into the original Constitution. I will give 4 supporting arguments that explain my choice for commemorating this document.

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