Assuming you have lived in the US all your life and as the stellar APUSH student you are, you know it like the back of your hand, right? No? Well don’t panic. To help you learn all you need to know to ace the AP® US History exam; here is a quick run-through of the Bill of Rights.
It’s not a bad idea to memorize the Bill of Rights and what they do. As with all things in AP® US History, be aware of the context of these amendments. Be ready for a FRQ as follows:
“The Bill of Rights did not come from a desire to protect the liberties won in the American Revolution, but rather from a fear of the powers of the new federal government. Assess the validity of the statement.”
As we run through the amendments, we will keep this question in mind and how some of the amendments may support or defend this statement.
Overview:
When the Constitution was created, it went through an extensive ratification process, but many people felt that it needed further ratification. So in 1791, the first Congress, led by James Madison, ratified the first 10 amendments to the US Constitution, and these would be known as the Bill of Rights. But what exactly do these amendments say? What do they do? And to stay with the question stated above, how might they limit federal power? Here’s a quick summary.
Amendment 1: Freedom of Religion, Press, Speech, and Petition.
One key thing to consider about this right is that the desire for “freedom of religion” was a large part of what drew people to the New World in the first place. In relation to the FRQ, this amendment could easily be perceived as an attempt to limit federal power.
Amendment 2: Right to Bear Arms.
This amendment gives people their right to keep firearms and weaponry. It is based on the apparent necessity of a “well regulated militia.” Based on the implied importance of a well-regulated militia, this may support the idea of the Bill of Rights as a way of preventing too strong of a federal government.
Amendment 3: Protection From Quartering of Troops.
The Third Amendment guarantees that citizens cannot be forced to house soldiers. The context of this amendment is important. In 1791, after seeing American citizens forced to house British troops, this was an incredibly relevant issue.
Amendment 4: No Unreasonable Search and Seizure
This law indicates the anti-federalist fear of too much government power. This amendment can also be difficult to interpret in court, because it is unclear what counts as “unreasonable.”
Amendment 5: Right to Due Process, Protection from Self-Incrimination and Double Jeopardy, Loss of Property
This amendment is most primarily aimed at protecting people from being unfairly accused of a crime. In the context of creating a new government, it is clear that Congress feared a corrupt government unfairly manipulating the justice system.
Amendment 6: Right to a Speedy and Public Trial
The Sixth Amendment protects people who have lawfully been accused of a crime. The 5th and 6th amendments together make up for what we now know as Miranda Rights. Also, when congress created this amendment, the abuse of power seen from British monarchs and authorities were fresh on their mind.
Amendment 7: Right to Trial by Jury
This amendment also ensures that a case tried by a jury should not be “reexamined” by another court, unless a law specifically calls for it.
Amendment 8: No Cruel and Unusual Punishment
The Eighth Amendment also protects those accused of a crime from bail costs that are too high, excessive fines, or “cruel and unusual punishment.” Going back to the FRQ, it is easy to see how this amendment is both a response to newfound liberty and a fear of a government that is too powerful.
Amendment 9: General Rights of the People
The Ninth Amendment makes it clear that just because a right is not spelled out by the Constitution or any of its amendments, does not mean that right doesn’t exist.
Amendment 10: State Powers
It says that if the Constitution does not give certain rights to the Federal Government, then those rights belong to the states. This is perhaps the most obvious evidence of a fear of too powerful federal government.
Having a general understanding of these amendments, and then thinking about the FRQ posted above, you can see how you might formulate an answer in support of the statement. You could cite specific amendments and explain how they put a check on federal power, and how that seems to be a specific theme through the Bill of Rights.
Understanding the Bill of Rights will be an essential part of your AP® US History exam. As seen above, knowing what each amendment says and the purpose behind its creation will have you prepared to clearly answer a question related to it.
Let’s put everything into practice. Try this AP® US History practice question:
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