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Bill of Rights Facts & Worksheets

The United States Bill of Rights refers to the 10 Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. It was created on September 25, 1789, and was ratified on December 15, 1791.

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The United States Bill of Rights refers to the 10 Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. It was created on September 25, 1789, and was ratified on December 15, 1791. These Amendments are assurances of the civil rights and liberties of all Americans. It is indeed a notable achievement because the government gave power to the citizens of the United States. The Amendments were created for a number of reasons. First, to limit the government. Second, to ratify the Constitution. And third, to state the rights that were significant to the Founding Fathers and to the people they represented.

Below are some more facts and information on the Bill of Rights or alternatively download our comprehensive worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

  • At the 1787 convention, George Mason agreed to the Bill of Rights proposal. This proposal was rejected, however, and got no votes because other delegates thought it unnecessary.
  • In fact, the Virginia Declaration of Rights in 1776 by George Mason of Virginia, the 1689 English Bill of Rights, and the 1215 Magna Carta influenced the Bill of Rights.
  • On September 17, 1787, 39 delegates signed the Constitution. But three delegates, including George Mason, Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts and Edmund Randolph of Virginia did not sign because the Bill of Rights was not included. After the convention, the Amendments became the center of debate among delegates.
  • Later in 1788, there were 19 amendments drafted by James Madison. On June 8, 1789, he proposed these amendments to Congress. But the House of Representatives discarded two amendments on August 24, 1789. Then, it was lessened to 12 amendments on September 25, 1789, and passed for ratification.
  • The first two amendments were removed. One amendment dealt with the House of Representatives’ assigning representation. And the second amendment prevented members of Congress from voting about changing their fee until the succeeding term of Congress, which was added to the U.S. Constitution as the 27th Amendment after 200 years.
  • Therefore, only 10 Amendments were left and approved on December 15, 1791. These 10 amendments are called the United States Bill of Rights, and now a part of the United States Constitution.
  • There were 14 original copies of the U.S. Bill of Rights. One copy was left to the federal government. And then, President George Washington dispatched the remaining 13 copies to the 13 states to consider for ratification of the Bill of Rights. You can find these original copies in the archives of the 13 states, while the one for the federal government is on display in the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C. Some states, such as New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Georgia are missing the original copies.
  • Congress passed a joint resolution regarding the Bill of Rights Day to be observed every 15th of December. In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt approved the resolution.

The Bill Of Rights:

The First Amendment

It covers the public’s freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, the right of the people to assemble, and the right to petition the government for a compensation of complaints, or the right of individuals to protest.

The Second Amendment

It covers a citizen’s right to bear and arms not to be infringed upon. The right to form a militia is also included in the Second Amendment as a security of the state.

The Third Amendment

It covers every citizen’s right to have no soldiers quartering or taking over their home during war or peace without the homeowner’s consent, and in a way approved by the law.

The Fourth Amendment

It covers every citizen’s right to have protection from arrest, unreasonable or unlawful searching, and confiscating of their personal properties without a warrant or any probable cause.

The Fifth Amendment

It covers the right of individuals confirming that no citizen can be given a trial for the same criminal act twice, also known as double jeopardy.

It also states that no citizen can practice forced self-incrimination or the act of testifying against themselves during a trial when accused of a particular crime. Therefore, an individual cannot be forced to stand as a witness against himself when he is the accused in a committed crime.

And then, individuals cannot be given a punishment without a just and due process of the country’s law.

Lastly, every citizen has the right to get compensation for his property, which has been taken for the use of the public.

The Sixth Amendment

It covers the rights of individuals who are accused of a crime to have an immediate, public trial, the right to have a legal counsel, the right for an impartial jury during a trial, and the right to have a confrontation clause with the accusers.

The Seventh Amendment

It covers the rights of individuals to a trial by jury in certain civil cases and prevents the court from overturning a jury’s decision.

The Eighth Amendment

It covers the rights of an accused citizen to have protection against excessive bail or fines, suffer from cruelty and unusual punishment.

The Ninth Amendment

It states that the rights listed in the Constitution must not be used to intrude on the rights of the other citizens, especially if it is not listed in the Constitution of the United States.

The Tenth Amendment

It covers the amendment stating that any power that is not assigned to the federal government by the U.S. Constitution is assigned to the people.

Bill of Rights Worksheets

This bundle contains 11 ready-to-use Bill of Rights Worksheets that are perfect for students who want to learn more about The United States Bill of Rights, which refers to the 10 Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. It was created on September 25, 1789, and was ratified on December 15, 1791. These Amendments are assurances of the civil rights and liberties of all Americans.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

  • The Bill of Rights Facts
  • Fill in the Blanks
  • Word Search
  • Cross Word Puzzle
  • Number the Amendment
  • Pass Your Amendment
  • True or False
  • Your Rights
  • Coloring Page
  • Grow Older
  • Agree or Disagree

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Link will appear as Bill of Rights Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, August 27, 2020

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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