AbstractThe primary reason for drafting the United States Constitution was to build a strong central government while still protecting the peoples rights. It has proven to be the strength and the backbone of the country yet flexible and allowing room for growth. Since its creation it has been amended 27 times with the first ten amendments known as the Bill of Rights. Although the Bill of Rights does not list every right to man, it outlines our basic freedoms and rights. If it were not for the creation of the first 10 amendments we may not have freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, or the right to a fair trial. It is these rights that set us apart from many other countries and the reason that families like my own chose to make this there home.
My Rights and Freedoms as an AmericanIn todays society we take for granted many things including our basic rights and freedoms. We dont often think about where our rights came from or the men that made them possible. We are taught about the Constitution in elementary school but at 10 years old most of us are only concerned about the rights our parents allowed us. Now that I am a grown woman with a family of my own I realize how important my rights and freedoms are and the effect they have on us every day. Our country was founded on the idea of freedom and certain rights and it was these ideas that brought my family over to this country. It is for these rights and freedoms that I love my country.
In the late 18th century our young nation was undergoing many changes. After centuries of kings and priests telling the citizens what to do, what to think, and what they could speak, the newly independent Americans were eager to free themselves of such tyranny. The peoples greatest fear was that the new government would violate their civil rights as the British had done. They demanded that the constitution be amended to include a bill of rights which would spell out the immunities of individual citizens. (The Bill of Rights, 2008) In 1791 ten bills that represented the most frequent arguments of the people were passed and made law. These rights included: freedoms of speech, press, and religion; the right to keep and bear arms; the freedom of assembly; the freedom to petition; and prohibits unreasonable search and seizure; cruel and unusual punishment; and compelled self-incrimination. But these are only our basic rights. Our founding fathers realized that with a growing and changing nation the peoples needs would change and so they allowed for the constitution to change in order to meet these needs. They included in the bill of rights an outline on how the constitution may be amended.
Although all components of the Bill of rights are important, some rights play a more vital role in my life then others. I am least concerned about my right to bear arms and more concerned about my freedoms of speech, press, and religion. I could not imagine living in a country where I was not allowed to practice the...
