Excerpts
"Real World" Situations
Court Cases
Images
Literal Amendments
100
This amendment prevents the government from establishing a religion, and allows you to choose your own religion, in addition to other freedoms.
What is the 1st amendment.
100
The right to remain silent is a part of your "Miranda Rights."
Which amendment relates to the Miranda Rights?
What is the 5th amendment.
100
Bennet V. Wainwright
Someone argued that a police raid ended with a resident being shot an killed by a state trooper, and this was an "illegal occupation."
What amendment could be cited here?
What is the 3rd Amendment
100
What is the 2nd amendment.
100
"A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."
What is the 2nd amendment.
200
This amendment forbids excessive/large bails and fines, and prevents cruelty to prisoners.
What is the 8th amendment.
200
A defense lawyer asked a judge to lower her client's bail to $20,000, an amount she said his family could raise. The judge decided to keep the bail at $250,000, the amount previously set.
What amendment would the defense attorney cite in this case?
What is the 8th amendment.
200
Schenck V. United States
Schenck was a person who, during WWI, advocated for people to burn their draft cards to prevent people from being forced to join the army.
The Supreme Court ruled that freedom of speech can be limited in wartime. The government can restrict expressions that would create a clear and present danger.
What amendment was at issue here?
What is the 1st amendment.
200
What is the 4th amendment.
200
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated..."
What is the 4th amendment.
300
This amendment guards against unreasonable searches and seizures, along with requiring any warrant issued by a judge to be supported by "probable cause."
What is the 4th amendment.
300
In 1995, OJ Simpson was acquitted (found not guilty) of having murdered his wife and her friend. Two years later he was found liable for the killings in a civil suit for wrongful death.
What amendment allowed the family to sue OJ Simpson for damages?
What is the 7th amendment.
300
D.C. V. Heller
The D.C. made it illegal to register a handgun, but the chief of police could issue 1-year licenses for handguns. If you did have a lawfully owned handgun already in your home, it had to have special locks on it. Heller was a special police officer who was authorized to carry a handgun on duty. He applied for the 1-year license to keep a gun in his home, but was denied.
What amendment is at issue here?
What is the 2nd amendment.
300
What is the 5th amendment.
300
"In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed $20, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved..."
What is the 7th amendment.
400
This amendment protects against double jeopardy and self-incrimination and guarantees the rights to due process, grand jury screening, and compensation for the seizure of private property by the government.
What is the 6th amendment.
400
A large Indonesian mosque is being built in Houston, TX, on a plot of land purchased by the Indonesian American Muslim Community (IAMC). Different groups of people are protesting the building of this mosque.
What amendment protects this mosque, and the people protesting it?
What is the 1st amendment.
400
Antoine Jones was arrested in 2005 for drug posession after police attached a tracker to Jones' car-without a judge's approval- and followed him for a month.
The Supreme Court affirmed the fact that the installation of a tracking device on Jones' car without a warrant violated his rights. What amendment was violated?
What is the 4th amendment.
400
What is the 8th amendment.
400
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state... and be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation..."
What is the 6th amendment.
500
Powers that are not granted to the federal government by the Constitution are reserved to the states or people.
What is the 10th amendment.
500
In a Detroit high school, students were taught from materials labeled for 3rd/4th graders, and long-term substitutes showed movies instead of teaching. Students were taught in appalling conditions, including roach infested rooms, and an 8th grader that taught for a month after the teacher quit.
Lawyers representing the students argued that students received an education so inadequate that they could not realistically exercise their constitutional rights.
What amendment would be used to determine this case?
What is thew 9th amendment.
500
Gerald Gault Case
Gerald Gault was 15 years old and was arrested after a female neighbor complained to police about an obscene phone call. When sent to a juvenile court, he was not represented by a lawyer and no witnesses appear to testify against him. Gerald was sentenced to 6 years in juvenile reformatory.
What amendment was violated here?
What is the 6th amendment?
500
What is the 9th amendment.
500
"The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."
What is the 9th amendment.