The Bill of Rights Guided Reading

DIRECTIONS: Due Wednesday, October 8 for Red/Blue and Thursday, October 9 for Green/Yellow
Use the Bill of Rights reading and your previous knowledge to answer the questions below.
Answer all questions in your own words and in complete sentences.
Use the above title for your title. Do not rewrite the questions.
Please number your answers in correlation to the numbered question.

1. Was the U.S. Bill of Rights the first example of inalienable rights being granted to
people in the North American colonies and/or the United States of America? Give one
example of these rights being granted to people during colonial times and one example
after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

2. What sparked the pressure to add a bill of rights to the constitution?

3. Why do you believe some people wanted a bill of rights? Why do you believe some
people did not believe creating a bill of rights was a top priority?

4. Based on the reading, why is the freedom of expression important?

5. Explain the two parts, regarding religion, in the First Amendment. Why were these
two clauses included in the First Amendment?

6. The reading states that the press, acts as a super-check on all three branches of
government. Explain what this means and provide a potential example of this super-
check in practice.

7. What did Supreme Court justice Oliver Wendell do to curtail certain types of speech
and expression? Why do you believe this infringement is allowed?

8. Define the phrase illegal searches or seizures. Where is this stated in the U.S Bill of
Rights?

9. Explain the 3 rights granted in the Fifth Amendment.

10. What are penumbral rights? Based on the reading, give two examples of these rights
being protected.

11. What are ways that the government is intruding in our penumbral rights today? You
will need to do outside research to answer this question.