My Rights: An Online Activity

Review the Bill of Rights and decide what 2 rights (in the Bill of Rights) are most important to YOU.  For each right, complete the following:

 

• Write an introductory paragraph explaining why you are concerned that this right is protected by the government of the United States
• Research at least ONE Supreme Court cases that dealt with this issue.
• Write a paragraph that summarizes the action that brought someone or something to trial (not the verdict) in your own words and ends with a question.  The question could be as simple as “Was Mr. Hamdi’s imprisonment without trial a violation of his 6^th amendment rights?”  It can also be more complex.
• Write a paragraph on the verdict that Supreme Court delivered.  You must quote at least one Supreme Court Justice’s opinion in your answer.
• If you agree/disagree with the ruling, write a short paragraph explaining why.  Make reference to the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, the guiding principles of the Constitution, or examples from history in your answer.  If you disagree, I recommend reading “dissenting opinions” by Supreme Court Judges who also disagreed with the ruling in order to help you with this paragraph.

Overall requirements:

• Include at least 2 pictures/images for each “right” that you address (so, 4 total). These pictures can be journalistic (pertaining directly to the event and court case), or simply creative (referring to issues of the case/right in an artistic way).  Be sure that you would be comfortable with your principal, your teacher, and your parent(s) viewing these images and that they are appropriate to use in the classroom
• Cite all your sources. We’ll discuss how to do this in class.  You must use at least one major news source for each “right.”
• Plagiarism (stealing someone’s words without citing them) is a 6 point offense with loss of credit.  If you borrow words because you “just can’t say it any better,” you must quote your source and give them credit.

IDEAS for SUPREME COURT CASES

Though there are often many court cases that helped further define these amendments, these are a few court cases that I happen to know a little bit about.  You are free to find others that look more interesting to you

I. 1st Amendment Rights

A. Freedom of Religion: The Establishment Clause

• Engel vs. Vitale (1962)
• Lemon vs. Kurtzman (1971)

B. Freedom of Religion: The Free Exercise Clause

• Reynolds vs. United States (1879)
• Minersville School district vs. Gobitis (1940)

C. Freedom of Speech

• Schenck vs. United States
• Abrams vs. United States
• Gitlow vs. New York
• Brandenburg vs. Ohio (1969)
• Texas vs. Johnson (1989)
• Reno vs. American Civil Liberties Union (1996)

D. Freedom of the Press

• Near vs. Minnesota (1931)
• New York Times vs. United States (1971)

E. Freedom of Assembly and the Right ot Petition

• Hague vs. CIO (1937)
• NAACP vs. Button (1963)

II. 2nd and 3rd Amendments — Protections Against Abuses of Government Power  

2nd Amendment — Right to Bear Arms

• United States vs. Miller (1939)

3rd and 4th Amendment — Protecting your Home and Person

• Katz vs. United States (1967)
• Terry vs. Ohio (1968)

III. Amendments 5,6,7,8 — Your Rights and the Legal System

A. The Fifth Amendment — Your Rights When Accused of a Crime

• Miranda vs. Arizona (1966)

B. The Sixth and Seventh Amendments — Your Right to a Fair Trial

• Gideon vs. Wainright (1963)
• Sheppard vs. Maxwell (1966)

C. The Eighth Amendment: Your Protection from Excessive Bail and Punishments

• In re Kemmler (1890)
• Furman vs. Georgia (1972)
• Gregg vs. Georgia (1976)

IV. Rights and Powers of the States and the People

A. Ninth Amendment — Your rights beyond those listed in the Constitution

• Griswold vs. Connecticut (1965)

B. Tenth Amendment — Powers Reserved for the States and the People

• United States vs. Morrison (2000)