Civil Rights and Liberties Granted by the Constitution
Rights Guaranteed in the Main Body of the Constitution (before the Bill of Rights was added):
Liberties Provided to US Citizens by The Bill of Rights (#1-10; Ratified on December 15, 1791):
Liberties Provided to the State Governments by The Bill of Rights (Ratified on December 15, 1791):
- Writ of habeus corpus may not be suspended (except during an invasion or rebellion).
- No bill of attainder may be passed by Congress or the states.
- No ex post facto law may be passed by Congress or the states.
- Right to trial by jury in criminal cases is guaranteed.
- The citizens of each state are entitled to the privileges and immunities of the citizens of every other state.
- No religious test or qualification for holding federal office is imposed.
- No law impairing the obligation of contracts may be passed by the states.
Liberties Provided to US Citizens by The Bill of Rights (#1-10; Ratified on December 15, 1791):
- Freedom of religion, speech, press, and assembly; the right to petition the government.
- No unreasonable searches or seizures.
- Grand jury indictment required to prosecute a person for a serious crime.
- No double jeopardy - being tried twice for the same offense,
- Forcing a person to testify against himself or herself is prohibited,
- No loss of life, liberty, or property without due process,
- Right to speedy, public, impartial trial by jury with defense counsel and right to cross-examine witnesses.
- Jury trials in civil suits where value exceeds $20.
- No excessive bail or fines, no cruel and unusual punishments.
- Right to bear arms.
- Troops may not be quartered in homes in peacetime.
- Banned the practice of slavery (except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted).
- Voting in elections regardless of race, religion, or gender so long as citizens are at least 18 years old.
Liberties Provided to the State Governments by The Bill of Rights (Ratified on December 15, 1791):
- Powers not delegated to the United States or denied to the states are reserved to the states (Unlisted rights are not necessarily denied).
"Government 101: The Constitution." Project Vote Smart - American Government, Elections, Candidates and Voting. Project Vote Smart, n.d. Web. 16 June 2015. <https://votesmart.org/education/constitution#.VYAuHDBViko>.
http://constitution.findlaw.com/amendments.html#sthash.Du0VIxBj.dpuf
http://constitution.findlaw.com/amendments.html#sthash.Du0VIxBj.dpuf