The Bill of Rights and It’s Importance Essay

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The Bill of Rights can be viewed as of the key document that outlines the rights and privileges of American citizens. Each of the amendments included in this list is critical for limiting the authority of the state. More importantly, it enables people to act as legislators and improve the functioning of the government if it cannot properly perform its functions.

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In my opinion, these principles can have profound implications for the life of every person, at least at some point. Overall, they are essential for safeguarding his/her liberty and dignity. These are the main questions that should be examined in greater detail.

At first, I would like to speak about the First Amendment that guarantees the right to free exercise of religion and free speech. To a great extent, this provision is vital for a person’s sense of confidence. In particular, he/she should have an opportunity to speak against injustice and identify drawbacks in the work of various governmental organizations such as police.

So, this amendment is necessary for improving the functioning of the state. Moreover, an individual, who is afraid of expressing his/her views openly, is not likely to achieve any personal or professional growth. This is one of the reasons why I attach much importance to this amendment that regulates the interactions between a person and the state.

Admittedly, the Second Amendment, which guarantees the right to bear arms, is not of great importance to me personally. I do not perceive fire arms as an inseparable part of my life. Nevertheless, I do understand that it may be needed by a person who must protect his/her life, dignity, or property.

This is why this provision is critical for many American citizens. Admittedly, some people can use fire arms for illegal purposes and this risk cannot be dismissed; nevertheless, the prohibition to possess arms can actually increase violence in the society. Therefore, the Second Amendment continues to be relevant to the modern society.

In turn, the Third Amendment may not seem relevant to modern-day citizens of the country. In particular, one should speak about the prohibition to quarter soldiers in people’s houses. Nevertheless, one should keep in mind that at the time when the Bill of Rights was written, many people remembered the violations committed by British government.

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In particular, many colonists were forced to provide lodgings to British soldiers (Schultz 734). This is one of the issues that should not be disregarded. Still, this safeguard may be needed to restrict the authority of the army officials who can also abuse their authority. This is one of the pitfalls that should be avoided.

Moreover, much attention should be paid to the Fourth Amendment that protects a person against unreasonable searches. I think that this safeguard is vital for limiting the power of state that can act in a totalitarian manner. This is one of the risks that were of great concern to the Founding Fathers. I believe that this precaution is crucial for increasing a person’s sense of security. This provision is closely related to the Fifth Amendment which guarantees the right to due process.

For instance, one can mention the right not to witness against oneself. It seems that this precaution is also significant because in some totalitarian countries, people can be forced to testify against themselves. In turn, the Sixth Amendment emphasizes the right to an impartial jury. One can argue that these amendments are critical because they make law-enforcement agencies more accountable to citizens.

Governmental officials should demonstrate that they abide by the laws and provide rationales for their decisions. It seems to me that this accountability is critical for creating a community in which people can put trust in the government. Overall, the parts of the Bill of Rights can protect people from encroachments on their liberties. This is one of one of the arguments that be put forward.

Apart from that, one should not underestimate the importance of the Seventh Amendment which includes the right to jury trial, even under those circumstances when common law cases have to be examined. This addition to the Constitution helps people resolve conflicts that can occur almost on a daily basis. Furthermore, this amendment is supposed to ensure that judges act in an impartial way. Thus, this part of the Constitution sets higher standards for the work of lawyers.

It is also critical to discuss the Eighth Amendment that prohibits imposing excessive bail on a person. Apart from that, according to this addition, the state is not allowed to administer cruel and unusual punishment. I believe that this safeguard is vital for restricting the punitive power of the state.

Additionally, this precaution prevents governmental officials from abusing their authority. Such behaviors can easily undermine the authority of policy-makers. Moreover, this abuse of power can eventually result in political turmoil. Therefore, the importance of Eighth Amendment should not be dismissed by citizens and policy-makers.

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One should not suppose that the Bill of Rights identifies each of the conceivable rights to which a person can be entitled. This approach might have given more authority to the state. One can argue that the Founding Fathers were able to avoid this pitfall. This is why much attention should be paid to the Ninth Amendment according to which people can be entitled to other liberties that are not included in this list. In my opinion, this provision enables state legislators to protect the liberties of citizens.

For instance, one can mention the restrictions on the exercise of eminent domain or compulsory purchase (Ryskamp 1). In this way, policy-makers strengthen the protection of people’s property. I think that this safeguard makes the government much more accountable because this institution is made to justify its actions.

To some degree, the Tenth Amendment serves a very similar purpose because it enables people to enact laws that they deem necessary. Thus, this part of the Bill of Rights is vital for improving work of various governmental institutions. One should bear in mind that many of the existing rules tend to become obsolete, and they should be eliminated or rectified. Therefore, the Tenth Amendment can be regarded as the key part of the Bill of Rights.

Overall, these examples indicate that the Bill of Rights creates a system of checks and balances that can prevent the state from becoming totalitarian. Admittedly, some of these provisions may appear to be self-evident to modern people; nevertheless, these precautions have been critical for protecting the liberties of a citizen. Furthermore, they are vital for the improving of the work of the state. These are the main arguments that can be put forward.

Works Cited

Ryskamp, John. The Eminent Domain Revolt: Changing Perceptions in a New Constitutional Epoch, New York, Algora Publishing, 2007. Print

Schultz, David. Encyclopedia of the United States Constitution, New York: Infobase Publishing, 2009. Print.

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IvyPanda. (2020) 'The Bill of Rights and It's Importance'. 6 April.

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IvyPanda. 2020. "The Bill of Rights and It's Importance." April 6, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-bill-of-rights-and-its-importance/.

1. IvyPanda. "The Bill of Rights and It's Importance." April 6, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-bill-of-rights-and-its-importance/.


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