Rebecca Rupley April 19, 2012 “No courts. No justice. No freedom.” The United States’ government is a constitutional democracy. This means that the nation is subjugated under the will of its people, so long as it is in accordance with the U.S. Constitution. In a more concrete understanding, the Constitution of the United States includes those “unalienable rights” initially granted to each citizen in the Declaration of Independence (1776).
Despite this, the United States has often passed laws which usurp Indian sovereignty. One problem that continues to crop up in these discussions of sovereignty is the question of what exactly sovereignty means. The definition of sovereignty can be hard to pin down. One of the best definitions came from Mike Myers, a Seneca Indian, as quoted in the essay “Indian Sovereignty” by K. Kickingbird, L. Kickingbird, Chibitty and Berkley: “Ideally, sovereignty is the unrestricted right of groups of people to organize themselves in political, social and cultural patterns that meet their needs. It is the right of a people to freely define ways in which to use land, resources and manpower for their common good.
Amendment’s 1-7 Research Paper The Constitution and all of it's amendments were created as a rule book or a guideline on what the government of the United States can do and what it can not do. It protects American citizens from abusive government actions against them that could violate basic rights like religion and freedom of speech. The first seven amendments are very important and give us many rights. The 1st Amendment to the US Constitution was passed by Congress on December 15, 1791 as part of the Bill of Rights and this amendment guarantees freedom of religion and the press. The amendment states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or
The Pledge of Allegiance was not written to coerce citizens of the United States. Its purpose was to create a statement of patriotism. Through its words, it states each American citizen’s respect for the republican form of government our Founders instilled, and loyalty to America, a country that is “indivisible.” While the separation of church and state is a key institute in maintaining a fair democratic government, certain traditions such as the Pledge of Allegiance, should be allowed in a society founded on the belief in monotheism. The Pledge was not written to defy the Constitution; rather, it was a statement of secular belief in our nation. Its author had no intention of violating the First Amendment.
The Bill of Rights makes sure the government understands that they cannot violate people’s rights of liberty and privileges. The Anti-Federalists views proved to be true to this current day, as the Bill of Rights is in the Constitution, and it limits the power of the U.S. federal government and protects the natural rights, liberty, and property of
Freedom of religion is a favored value in the American constitutional system. It is the first guarantee of the First Amendment. The first Amendment was enacted against the background of an established church in Great Britain during the colonial period and the official persecution of religious dissenters in Great Britain and colonial America. This amendment provides double protection to freedom of religion with two clauses. These two clauses, the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause, concern the relationship between government and religion.
Three Most Important Amendments in the Bill of Rights are that America has. The Bill of Rights is the collective name for the first tem amendments to the United States constitution, which limit the power of the U.S. federal government. This limitations serve to protect the natural rights of liberty and property including freedoms of religion, speed, a free press, free assembly, and free association, as well as the right to keep and bear arms.Amendments one, four, and eight in the Bill of Rights stand out among the others. They are the freedom of religion and speech, the searches and seizes, and the punishment for crimes amendments. These three are the most important of all of the amendments in the Bill of Rights.
There are 43 states or 86% of states that include some form of the second amendment in their own Constitutions. The Arizona state Constitution reads as follows, “The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself or the State shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain, or employ an armed body of men.” This clearly states that citizens have their right to bear arms as defense of themselves, family, and property and that this article should not be changed (hematite.com). Other than guns being a political right, personal reasons are also another reason American citizens should have the right to bear arms. Owning guns in the household can be a great family activity (pbs.org). Guns can be used as a tool to teach young kids responsibility.
Some cause for concerns can be found in the first writing of the Constitution (the one that will soon be thoroughly discussed) and some lay in more recent Amendments. However, we must not forget that these voices can only be discussed out loud for all opinions to be made on it because of the foresight of those in our past that demanded such rights before approving the Constitution as the foundation of our new government. The Constitution that was written before the ratification debate was adequate in its democracy, but fell short of its goal of creating a government that incorporates all of the citizens views equally and effectively. The Constitution divides the power between the three government
In 1787 a group of individuals met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to construct a document that would forever change American history. This document, later called, the Constitution for the United States of America. Within this document are several amendments. The first of these or the 1st amendment states that, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances”. ( ) The bottom line of this first amendment is very clear.