During the ancient times, Kings ruled without question and used their absolute power to define the societal morals and understanding of right and wrong. These rulers at times altered their rules to justify their actions. In various states, the Bill of Rights, which spells out the fact that people should have the freedom to pursue life, happiness and liberty, had little support in the original constitution as proposed in Philadelphia in 1787. It is argued that the framers of the original constitution were concerned with the establishment of the machinery for an effective federal government. The Bill of Rights, which features in most of the constitutions of democratic nations, lists the fundamental human rights that limit the role of the government while giving the citizens rights that neither majority nor their governments can infringe.
The Bill of rights consists of the first ten amendments to the constitution, which documents how the government would be operated. Despite the differences in reaching a consensus among the states, the constitution provided a fair, flexible and flawless system of government. The main reason for designing the Bill of Rights was to ensure that the constitution prevented the government from the assumption of total power over the citizens and to provide the latter with legal defenses. Unlike the colonial time were freedom was restricted and privileges favored the European rulers, the Bill of Rights is important in defending these freedoms in the society.
The First Amendment has remained one of the most important constitutional amendments since it guaranteed the freedom of press, speech, religion as well as the tight to public assembly among other basic human rights including life. The Bill of Rights also defends the citizens from deviant use of the provisions of the Bill of Rights such as limiting freedom of expression that is libel or slander. Some amendments such as the third amendment have faced criticism since people have conflicting reaction to the necessities of their provisions. The subsequent amendments grants the right to bear arms, quartering troops in private homes, limits the right of search and seizure by the authorities, and right to a speedy, public trial, an impartial jury of peers, to have full knowledge of accusations and charges made, and to have legal counsel provided to all.
The current political climate has put most of the civil liberties under attack since the supporters of the Patriot Act, which was designed to protect against terrorists affect the Americans’ freedom. This act strives to limit the freedom of the American citizens. However, some Americans also believe that losing individual freedoms and privileges are necessary for the government. Nevertheless, the benefits of the Bill of rights to the citizens have been important in defending citizens against the unethical actions of the state. The Bill of rights also fundamentally protects the citizens against similar acts of fellow citizens as well as reduces cohesion.
Work Cited:
Joseph Postell, Ph.D. Securing Liberty: The Purpose and Importance of the Bill of Rights. The Heritage Foundation. Web December 14, 2007. http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2007/12/securing-liberty-the-purpose-and-importance-of-the-bill-of-rights
