Bill of Rights
Most concerns about a too-powerful central government were addressed by the 1789 proposal to add a bill of rights to the Constitution. Made up of the first ten amendments to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights is series of limitations to the U.S. government.

The Bill of Rights are the first 10 amendments to the Constitution that provides and protects freedoms for US citizens.  Today, just like in the late 1700's people still fight to protect the freedoms of this country.  Groups like the American Civil Liberties Union  (ACLU) are among the people who fight for these freedoms on a daily basis. 

Assignment...
1.  Read the Bill of Rights by clicking on the link (there are only 10 so read them all).
2. Next go to the ACLU of Ohio site and pick an issue currently being discussed in Ohio.
3. In open office I want you to write about your issue. Your writing should include the following...
  • What issue did you choose and describe it (3-5 Sentences)
  • What number Amendment is it related to (1-10)
  • Is this an issue Americans faced when the Bill of Rights was being written? (1-2 sentences)
  • How you feel about this issue, are you for it? Against it? Not affected? (2-3 sentences)
  • Please then copy and paste your respond in the comment section of this post.


OH Grade 8, Social Studies Standard History 6
Explain the challenges in writing and ratifying the U.S. Constitution including:
  1. The debate over a Bill of Rights.

jordon w
9/26/2011 03:11:26 am

I chose student rights because I think it would be interesting of what rights students have.the ability today almost what they want and dress the way want.
One of them is the freedom of speech so that means we can talk freely. That relates to the first amendment. And in the late 1700s they did face this issue it was student rights and freedom of speech I think this was a good amendment to pass.

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Tyler Mack
9/26/2011 03:13:51 am

Immigrant right

Ohio is currently passing a law that allow police to look up there profile and see if they are illegal immigrant or not. Ohio wants Sheriffs to enforce federal immigration laws.
This relates to the 4th amendment which relates to warrants. Immigrant laws have been an issue sense the bill of right was written. I feel that even though illegal immigrants
are not allowed in the U.S they should be able to stay in the U.S.

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Tricia. B
9/26/2011 03:17:20 am

REAL ID.

The Department of Homeland Security issued final REAL ID regulations in 2008, but they failed to address privacy, data security and cost concerns. There still might be problems with the new ID's. The government will not meet it's own deadline.

This relates to the freedom of speech.

No because they didn’t have to have to have a ID and there wasn’t identity theft.

I am not effected by this issue.

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Jade B
9/26/2011 03:17:47 am

Womens Rights...

Ohio is currently working on a law that bans abortion once a heartbeat is detected. Insurance plans from covering abortions and to bar public hospitals from providing abortions,except In cases of of reported rape or incest or to save the life of the women. minors would not be aloud to have an abortion if they cannot get the consent of their parents. This have to do with the first and the ninth amendment .

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Jordan B. Cody N.
9/26/2011 03:17:53 am


Death Penalty

We chose the Death Penalty. We think the Death Penalty is a big deal in Ohio. Usually, when you you get the death penalty, you have killed someone. Some reasons for the death penalty are good, but some are wrong. I believe if you take a life, you should be punished. But two wrongs don't make a wright. It shouldn’t always result in death.


The Death Penalty is described in the 8th amendment. The government cannot require excessive bail or fines, or any cruel and unusual punishment. Some people think that the Death Penalty is cruel and unusual punishment but, some executions are cruel, like the electric chair, and hanging. But is they are put to death in a calm way like the ejection, then some people still think it's cruel, but others are okay with the more calm and peaceful injection. A lot of inmates that are put to death have to be strapped down, because when they feel they are dying the got crazy. And that’s why I feel that anyway people die is bad, but some are better than others.



A lot of people were with the Death Penalty, back when the Bill Of Rights was being written. Some people brought their families down the then place for the hanging and enjoyed the experience. But some people disagreed with this act. They thought it was cruel, especially when there were petty crimes like stealing.

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shayne h
9/26/2011 03:19:13 am

I Decided to research the 9th Amendment, dealing with a person's right to privacy. In the article that i have read ACLU found out that Akron U. was asking employees to give there DNA whenever asked. The faculty senate denouncing the policy requiring job applicants to turn over a DNA sample,the general counsel recommended that the University of Akron to repeal the provision.

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Anthony.K
9/26/2011 03:19:35 am

I picked “haphazard execution policies, This reading is related to the 6th amendment, The 6th amendment mean's that anyone is accused of something has to get a speedy trial by a jury,both the 6th and the 8th amendment's were issue's that had to be faced while writing the bill of rights, I believe that it is necessary to execute people who have done thing's so horrible that they must be put down but they must make sure that the y check
the poison or the equipment to make sure they are killed in the must human way.

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J.A
9/26/2011 03:20:46 am

Womens' Rights

In Ohio they are passing laws that deny abortions once a heartbeat is detected. Insurance will not pay for abortions.

It's important that we can have the freedom of speech because we always should be able to disagree with what the government say because: if there decisions are not right and it's something they shouldnt do then people should know about it.

I am effected by this issue because i'm a female and women should have the right to make decisions regarding there on body.

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Blake S.
9/26/2011 04:01:19 am

The issue I chose is the Death Penalty. It's about if it's right to kill someone if they did a really bad crime, like killing a tons of people. In the State of Ohio people are continuing to die cause of the Death Penalty. This has to do with the 8th amendment which has to do about cruel and unusual punishment. I feel that people should be killed if they committed a very harsh and dangerous/ harmful crime. I am with the thought that murderers should sentenced to death.

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Blake S.
9/26/2011 04:07:18 am

The issue I chose is the Death Penalty. It's about if it's right to kill someone if they did a really bad crime, like killing a tons of people. In the State of Ohio people are continuing to die cause of the Death Penalty. This has to do with the 8th amendment which has to do about cruel and unusual punishment. I feel that people should be killed if they committed a very harsh and dangerous/ harmful crime. I am with the thought that murderers should sentenced to death. This was an issue back in 1700's.

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Steven R.
9/26/2011 04:08:35 am

Search and Seizure

Since 2009 police must get a warrant to search a cell phone. Prior to this police could search a phone at will. The Fourth and Fifth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution establish restrictions on government searches and seizures and guarantee us due process of law. They do not have right to cause you may or may not have any kind of stuff on your phone. This is an issue that is new and was not around when the bill of rights was written.

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Anthony R
9/26/2011 04:11:43 am

Free Speech

Flash Mob,Social Media,First Amendment

People are getting together by face book,twitter,etc and starting crime such as violence and destruction of property. The state of Ohio are trying to find ways to stop it before it gets worse. They are interested in limiting social media. This relates to the first amendment which provides freedom of speech and the right to form groups.

This is a new issue because of the internet and cell phones give new ways to contact people. No I’m not for it because people use flash mobs to express themselves and the have the right to.

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Nathan L
9/26/2011 04:12:30 am

The government spying
state government wants to have Camera all over the states. I thank it is invading private see. I think it is wrong to put camera all over the states. This relates to the fourth amendment search and seizure. This is a new issue because they didn’t in the bill of rights was rights.

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Josh T.
9/26/2011 04:31:18 am

Where does the federal government find authority to conduct a Census?

I chose the issue about the federal government finding authority to conduct a census. A census is a paper that checks who is living in a country. I think that they do have the right but people should not be required to fill it out. It is related to the 9th amendment.

I do not think this was an issue Americans faced when they wrote the constitution because they knew who lived in their country already. I am for this issue, because there is no reason that this should be a bad thing. It is good to have a census so you know who you are around.

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Izzy S
9/26/2011 04:58:34 am

I chose the Drug Policy . It tells about the Cuyahoga County drug problems . They said more white people sell in Cuyahoga County than colored . They are trying to reduce charges for drug conviction . It's related to the 8th Amendment . It was an issue when the Bill of Rights was being written . This problem has been around for a long time . I am not against this . I think the charges should be reduced when it comes to these situations . I am happy that they are trying to pass this law .

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david b
9/26/2011 05:02:07 am

Free speech

Flash Mob,Social Media,First Amendment

People are getting together by face book,twitter,etc and starting crime such as violence and destruction of property. The state of Ohio are trying to find ways to stop it before it gets worse. They are interested in limiting social media. This relates to the first amendment which provides freedom of speech and the right to form groups.

This is a new issue because of the internet and cell phones give new ways to contact people. No I’m not for it because people use flash mobs to express themselves and the have the right to.

This is the number 1 Amendment of the Constitution.

The one reason Americans faced without freedom of speech because the king or government can tell you some thing and you had to do it . Know with the freedom of speech we can say no to things.


I do feel that there should not be flash mob an flash mobs would against the Constitution and be a law against it.

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Matthew P.
9/26/2011 05:03:51 am





I picked the drug policy. While I was reading, it said that the president reduced the time for having crack with you or on you in any way. It said that it will make it 18-1 years for possession of this drug. This issue is related to amendment number 10. This really wasn’t a problem when the bill of rights was written but now it is a problem. I am okay with legalizing some drugs but not all some can kill you and make you all crazy and stuff and that's not cool. The drugs cant be legalized in less people now how to control being high

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Rashed B
9/26/2011 05:04:00 am

Criminal Justice

there are a lot of criminals in prison that suppose to hold 31 something thousand but it hold 51 thousand which is past its limit so the prison are to full. The criminals that get out of prison try and look for jobs but sometimes they cant get one because of there criminal records so sometimes they turn back to crime. The amendment is the 5th one. This wasn't an issue when the bill of right was being written because there wasn't that much crime back then. I'm against that some people cant get jobs because of there criminal record but they should make the prisons bigger.

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Kala B.
9/26/2011 05:12:19 am

Religious Rights

I learned that Americans should have the rights to have what ever kind of religious practice that they want and it was established in the first Amendment. What was happening in Ohio is that we should commit and defend the rights to practice religions. An we should prevent the government from supporting religions. Another thing that is happening in Ohio is that Ohio state school boards are approving a plan that opens the doors to teaching creationism in schools.



I think that this was an issue will the Bill of Rights was being written because some people probably had to practice the religion that the government wanted them to practice. Until they made a bill that can have people practice what ever religion they want to practice.


How I feel about this issue is that I like it because I think everyone should get to practice whatever religion that they want to practice. So I do like this law and I would support it.

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Max D.
9/28/2011 12:54:16 am

The issue i have chosen is the right of free speech. Some gatherings of flash mobs have resulted in violence. So a number of Ohio communities are proposing prohibitions for social media use that may result in criminal activity.
These proposals are overbroad, and are unnecessary, as the criminal acts that cities seek to punish are already crimes.
This issue is related to the First Amendment. Befor the First Amendment Freedome of speech was a problem. The truth is that freedom of speech and of expression have a long history that goes much further back than even the international human rights laws.
I feel that freedom of speech is veary important. Freedom of speech should always be allowed and protected.

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knight l.
9/28/2011 04:56:53 am

I chose the Drug Policy . It tells about the Cuyahoga County drug problems . They said more white people sell in Cuyahoga County than colored . They are trying to reduce charges for drug conviction . It's related to the 8th Amendment . It was an issue when the Bill of Rights was being written . This problem has been around for a long time . I am not against this . I think the charges should be reduced when it comes to these situations .

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Emma S
10/3/2011 12:21:15 am

My issue that I chose is religious rights. Religious rights are very important to have. It is for your own safety and for your own belief. They made this law because while they were still making this country people were quarreling about if they should be this and that. They were really violent because some people thought that they shouldn't be in this country for different beliefs. I really agree on this issue.

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