1st Amendment

• The 1st Amendment guarantees freedom of religion, speech, the press, assembly, and petition.

• This means that we all have the right to:• practice any religion we want to• to speak freely• to assemble (meet)• to address the government (petition)• to publish newspapers, TV, radio, Internet

(press)

2nd Amendment

• The 2nd Amendment protects the right to bear arms, which means the right to own a gun.

3rd Amendment

• The 3rd Amendment says “No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.”

• This means that we cannot be forced to house or quarter soldiers.

4th Amendment

• The 4th Amendment protects the people from unreasonable searches and seizures.

• This means that the police must have a warrant to enter our homes. It also means the government cannot take our property, papers, or us, without a valid warrant based on probable cause (good reason).

5th Amendment

• The 5th Amendment protects people from being held for committing a crime unless they are properly indicted, (accused)

• You may not be tried twice for the same crime (double jeopardy)

• You don’t have to testify against yourself in court. (Self-incrimination)

6th Amendment

• The 6th Amendment guarantees a speedy trial (you can’t be kept in jail for over a year without a trial)

• an impartial jury (doesn’t already think you are guilty)

• that the accused can confront witnesses against them

• the accused must be allowed to have a lawyer

7th Amendment

• The 7th Amendment guarantees the right to a speedy civil trial.

• A civil trial differs from a criminal trial. A civil trial is when someone sues someone else. A criminal trial is when the state tries to convict someone of a crime.

8th Amendment

• The 8th Amendment guarantees that punishments will be fair and not cruel, and that extraordinarily large fines will not be set.

9th Amendment

• All rights not stated in the Constitution and not forbidden by the Constitution belong to the people.

• This means that the states can do what they want if the Constitution does not forbid it.

10th Amendment

• The 10th Amendment states that any power not granted to the federal government belongs to the states or to the people.

Amendments 11-27

11th Amendment

A citizen of one state can’t sue the government of another state unless it is done in the state being sued.

Texas, I’m going to sue you

If you’re gonna sue Texas, you gotta sue Texas in Texas.

12th Amendment

Electoral College has separate ballots for President and Vice-President

Electoral College

Presidential Ballot

Electoral CollegeVice-Presidential Ballot

Obama

McCain

Biden Palin

13th Amendment

Abolished slavery!!!

14th Amendment

Any one born in the U.S. is a citizen.

YEAH!

And, we are all equally protected by the law.

15th Amendment

Voting rights could not be denied because of race or color (or could it?).

Should I vote?

Or, do I feed my family?

16th Amendment

The federal government can tax our income.

Great, all I need is a bill from the

IRS!

Don’t you worry, we know how to spend YOURYOUR money better

than you.

17th Amendment

Prior to the 17th Amendment, the state legislatures chose the senators, but…

With the passage of the 17th, the PEOPLE directly elect their senators.

You better do a good job if you want to be

reelected

N.C. Senators

Richard BurrKay Hagen

18th Amendment

This is known as prohibition.See amendment 21.

19th Amendment

Gives women the right to vote.

We finally have suffrage rights.

20th Amendment

Moves the presidential inauguration date from the month of March to January 20th. This amendment is also known as the “Lame Duck” amendment.

21st Amendment

Prohibition ends, , alcohol is legal again.

Never M

ind

18th repealed

22nd AmendmentI know, I know, George, I broke your tradition of only serving two

terms

Franklin Roosevelt was elected four times, all presidents are now limited to two terms.

2 Terms, 2 Terms per president.

23rd Amendment

Citizens of Washington, D.C. (our U.S. Capital) receive the right to vote in presidential elections. Washington, D.C. is given 3 electoral votes.

ITS ABOUT TIME

24th Amendment

OutlawsOutlaws Poll Taxes

Super!! Now I can vote and feed my family. One less

thing I have to pay.

25th AmendmentOutlines procedures for the successionsuccession to the presidency. The V.P. takes over as president if the president is unable to fulfill his/her job.

Not to worry, I’m ready to step in if

something happens to Barrack.

26th Amendments

I think it means we can vote!!!

27th Amendment

Congress can give themselves a pay raise, but they have to wait until after the next election before they can get it.

You mean I can give myself a pay raise, but I’ll have to wait

until after my reelection to get it.

Mike McIntyre US Congressman,

7th District, NC