Read the Constitution in a Month- Day 9

The Bill of Rights (Amendments 1-10)

The Bill of Rights was ratified December 14, 1791, three years after the Constitution’s seven Articles were ratified.

Today, we will look at the Bill of Right’s Amendment 1, the most potent amendment because it assures that “We the People” (the fourth branch of government) have access to our methods of keeping the government from usurping too much power.

It clarifies liberties our founding fathers believed were our “unalienable” natural rights:

1. the freedom from being coerced into an official government religion. (This was a huge deal in those days. For instance, before the War for Independence, you could be jailed for being a Baptist or Presbyterian in Virginia.)
2. the freedom to practice whichever religion you choose
3. the freedom of speech
4. the freedom of the press
5. the right to peaceably assemble
6. the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances

Think about it. You live in the First Amendment. In what ways have you, the fourth branch of the government, exercised your freedom of religion, speech, writing/communication, assembly, or petition?

If you haven’t exercised that freedom lately, might I suggest you think about choosing ways to live in those liberties? In these political days, our Constitution is often under threat. As the fourth branch of government, will you exercise some of your liberties?

The transcript today is not from the National Archives official site, as the Archives currently has a photo of the original document but you have to really dig around the site for the transcript. Instead, the Archives directed me to the George Bush Whitehouse Archives: https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/kids/constitution/text/billofrights.html

Here is what the first Amendment to the US Constitution says:

Amendment I

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.