Individual rights are one of the cornerstones this country is based upon. In fact, individual rights are the foundation of any democracy, and certainly separate us from the misery of dictatorship, communism, and autocracy. However, while many citizens take individual rights for granted i...

In the landmark case Reynolds vs. Sims, the Supreme Court declared: "Especially since the right to exercise the franchise in a free and unimpaired manner is preservative of the other basic civil and political rights, any alleged infringement of the right of citizens to vote must be carefully and me...

The Civil Rights Act of 1875 was an effort of the Post-Civil War Congresses to enforce civil rights throughout the United States. It was a part of the Reconstructionists to eliminate racial discrimination throughout the United States and this Act was one form to attempt to accomplish this. They took...

The first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States which establishes basic American civil liberties that the government cannot violate is known as the Bill of Rights (Encarta pp). Ratified by the states in 1791, three years after the Constitution was ratified, the Bill of ...

The Equal Rights Amendment do we really need it? The equal rights amendment, not an amendment of the Constitution, but if submitted it would give equal rights to the sexes. It had come close in the 70's and early 80's but did not succeed. It has been brought up at every session of con...

The Bill of Rights "Individual rights are the oldest and most traditional of American values." (ACLU, 1997) The Bill of Rights is a document consisting of the Constitution's first ten amendments. The first eight of these amendments specify certain basic freedoms and safeguards...

1. Main Arguments a. Since current sex discrimination laws are not based on constitutional amendments, are poorly enforced and are subject to interpretation. An Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution is the only way to ensure the consistent enforcement of laws protecting the rights of women....

"I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners, will then be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream..." Martin Luther King Jr. This quote is from King's most famous speech that was given in o...

For more than 200 years the American Constitution has served as much more than a framework of government. Our belief in the great document's guarantees of freedom, justice, and equality has come to define what it means to be an American. From 1787 to today, in times of both tragedy and triumph, Amer...

Friends and fellow citizens: I stand before you tonight, under indictment for the alleged crime of having voted at the last Presidential election, without having a lawful right to vote. It shall be my work this evening to prove to you that I thus voting, I not only committed no crime, but, instead, ...

Introduction We as Americans have more rights and freedoms than any other nation in the world. Our founding fathers laid down a basis for all Americans to be able to live in a free society without the fear of government oppression. That basis is found in the United States Constitution and the Bill ...

On June 21, 1788 Congress ratified the US constitution. This historic document contained the powers that congress would have under this democratic government. The first amendment specifically details several powers that would be excluded from this list. The first amendment states "Congress sha...

On June 21, 1788 Congress ratified the US constitution. This historic document contained the powers that congress would have under this democratic government. The first amendment specifically details several powers that would be excluded from this list. The first amendment states "Congress shal...

THE SLOW DEATH OF "THE BILL OF RIGHTS" The American way of life changed for all citizens on the morning of September 11, 2001, in numerous fashion, some immediate and very obvious, other actions not apparent until much later. On October 26, 2001, a mere six weeks later, the greatest harm due to...

Abraham Lincoln and Equal Rights With America struggling in a state of Civil War, the nation's very core was being shaken. Abraham Lincoln, who was president during this period, realized this, and delivered one of his most historically renowned speeches, "The Gettysburg Address". This speech ad...

We the People... In his Federalist Paper #51, James Madison said, "If all men were angels, no government would be necessary." However, all men are not angels; therefore, some form of government is needed to maintain order, protect the rights of the minority, express the wishes of the ma...

The nation's drug policy and how government drug legislation affects American's rights and liberty is a controversial issue. On one hand, the government must pass legislation to control America's drug problem, and on the other the government must be careful not to infringe on Ameri...

Article Five, clause two of the United States Constitution states, "under the Authority of the United States, [the Constitution] shall be the supreme law of the land." As a result of the fact that the current activist government is pursuing inconsistent policies, many believe ...

Griswold v. Connecticut Griswold v. Connecticut appealed to the Supreme Court on errors of the state court of Connecticut. This case deals with the right to prescribe the use of birth control to a married female. This action is found unconstitutional under the state laws, but this law invades...

The U.S. Constitution Article Five, clause two of the United States Constitution states, "under the Authority of the United States, [the Constitution] shall be the supreme law of the land." As a result of the fact that the current activist government is pursuing inconsistent polic...

America has always been defined by the constitution, the amendments, and most importantly, by the people of the United States. Notice what is not listed: the freedoms given to the people of the United States by these three crucial establishments. This one incredibly significant element is not ment...

The Second Amendment and Gun Control: Racism at its best. Let me take you back to a time not so long ago: Once upon a time there lived an unhappy group of people in a British Colony. These people were tired of the oppressive British Empire and wanted to form their own government where they could ...

Michael Richards Ms. Mantas English 9R 4 - 15 - 99 The Impact of the Magna Carta Have you ever wondered where our past leaders got the idea for the American Constitution? The rights of freedom, equality, and justice for all, which are held sacred, were not always guaranteed for all citizen...

Mapp vs. Ohio The Mapp Vs Ohio Supreme Court Case was a turning point in our nation's history. It changed our legal system by forming the exclusionary rule, which in turn changed the way prosecution of a criminal is performed. On May 23, 1957, three Cleveland police officers arrived at Dolly Ma...

On June 13, 1866, Thaddeus Stevens, the leader of the House of Representatives and the nation's most prominent Radical Republican, addressed his congressional colleagues on the issue of the Fourteenth Amendment. The purpose of this amendment was to secure the fruits of Union victory in the Civil Wa...