The Constitution Decoded: What It Means For You
- juniorjusticesllc
- Feb 14
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 15
By Paige Gilroy
The United States won its independence from Great Britain on July 4th, 1776. The Constitution was ratified over a decade later. Does that mean there were no laws, no rules, and no government set in place? Actually, there was an entirely different document outlining our rights as American citizens in the Articles of Confederation. However, problems began emerging when the states seemed out of sync with one another, and the central government had little to no power over these states. This made it extremely difficult for the federal government not only to ensure stability within the US, but also made it near impossible to gain any funds.
The constitutional convention recognized these problems, while also recognizing that drafting a constitution which gave too many powers to the central government may take away individual rights and freedoms, infuriating its people as well as the other states. Considering the US just left a Monarchy in Britain, it proved difficult to take power away from the people and give more to the central government. In order to get the constitution ratified by all 13 states, it became increasingly obvious that there needed to be a Bill of Rights: The first 10 amendments of the constitution that lay out rights naturally given to an American Citizen.
Navigating and understanding all of the old words and run-on sentences of the constitution can feel like a daunting and, honestly, boring task. However, these first 10 Amendments prove as the foundation for what it means to be a Citizen, no matter your age, gender, or economic status. So, here is a more simplified and modern summarization of the basic, and most important rights guaranteed to us:
The First Amendment: This amendment guarantees our right to practice any and all religions (freedom of religion), inform the American Public (freedom of press), protest against injustice in our society, and speak freely on our opinions and beliefs (freedom of speech).
The Second Amendment: citizens are allowed to carry, or be in possession of, guns/weapons (the right to bear arms)
The Third Amendment: Prohibits the government from forcing you to take care of soldiers in your own home.
The Fourth Amendment: The government may not search your home or car without written approval and probable cause from a judge (a search warrant)
The Fifth Amendment: All citizens have the right to a fair trial, and cannot be tried for the same crime twice. They also have the right to remain silent. This amendment also ensures that private property is not taken from them by the government unless they get a fair amount of money in return (the right against self-incrimination, the right to affair trial, the right to do process, and the right against the double Jeopardy)
The Sixth Amendment: Ensures a citizen's right to a speedy trial, as well as to inform them for the crimes they are being charged with.
The Seventh Amendment: In all civil cases, a citizen will have a right to a jury.
The Eighth Amendment: Prohibits cruel and unusual punishment by the government
The Ninth Amendment: Says that just because a right is not specifically listed in the constitution, it doesn’t mean that the people don’t have it.
The Tenth Amendment: Any right that is not specifically listed as a power of the federal government, is given to the states.
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