The Tenth Amendment

Driver licenses can be issued to people at different ages depending on the state laws. This coincides with the Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The National Government has given states the right to decide what age licenses shall be issued. In Illinois, the minimum age for receiving a license is 16 years of age; however, the state is debating whether or not they are moving the age to 18.

The Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states that the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

I don't think making driving laws nationally respected is a problem. I think that the Nation should rise the age to 18 due to teenage car accidents. The National Government has given that decision to each state. This is an example of federalism.

The Fifth Amendment

The Fifth Amendment gives a person ,that is under trial, permission to "Plead the Fifth" meaning that he has the right to remain silent. In the picture I think a Lawyer is trying to tease the Judge by asking him of a right that is already guaranteed.

The Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution says that No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

If the Fifth Amendment was never created, then the court system would be different. People who actually plead the fifth would probably be punished. they would have to tell everything that happened and they couldn't hide anything from the jury or the judge. This can also cause feuds between friends because the tried person might tell on their friend since they have to tell the truth.

The Fourth Amendment

Many people take heed to the Fourth Amendment because they know that authority won't intrude their property without proper authorization. In this picture, police are abusing the fourth amendment. The first one is kicking down a door marked with 4th Amendment Privacy Rights. He is also holding a note from the supreme that is agreeing with what the second officer said which was that they were supposed to knock first.

The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution says that the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

I'm glad that this amendment was added to the Constitution because I think that it protects certain people. I personally would be annoyed if police had the right to come in my house without a warrant. If they came at the wrong time then there would be problems.

The Right to Bear Arms.

This cartoon shows the abusing of the Second Amendment by Congress. I think that Congress doesn't really agree with this Amendment since it generally increases crime rate and death.
Even though this right is guaranteed, it is not always a good decision.

According to the Second Amendment, A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

I think people should and shouldn't carry guns. When people carry guns, crime rates increase. If the Second Amendment did not exist, crime rates probably would rollercoast. They would go up because people coudln't defend themselves. Then they would go down because people don't have fatal weapons. The Second Amendment really doesn't have an affect on me because I don't carry a gun.

The Freedom of the Press.

In the political cartoon, a journalist gathers information and is probably going to report it publicly. A police officer is questioning his Freedom of Press because he is searching the bag and trying to find sources that might not be what he wants to see. The thing is, the journalist has the right to publicly display any information he acquires and he cannot be questioned and or arrested.

According to Amendment 1 of the Constitution, 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.

I personally think alot of problems would be settled because if the Freedom of Press didn't exist, there probably would be less false information. Alot of homework for students like me would be easier since everything on the web would be the truth. For instance, if posts could not be published on wikipedia without legal notarization, homework would be much easier; consequently, wikipedia's entire structure may have been completely false. Leaving children with no source.

The Freedom of Speech.

As an oppressed African- American, Martin Luther King Jr was stripped of certain rights and priveleges that were technically given to him. Since the government was white, blacks really didn't have a say in the world. However, King knew that the U.S. Constitution granted blacks all the rights whites had. He knew that he could speak without being denied the right according to the Constitution.

Amendment 1 of the U.S. Constitution says 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.

Say the First Amendment was never created. Where would America be right now. The world would not understand what blacks were going through and we probably would still be under similar pressure. I'm glad the First Amendment was created because it lets people express their own opinions and it lets them know that nobody has the right to tell them they can't speak.

The Freedom of Assembly.

This is a picture of people gathering to protest the Iraq War. They have the right to assemble and protest againt government decisions only to a certain extent. No where in the Constitution does it say that there is the Freedom to Riot.

In the Bill of Rights, The First Amendment guarantees 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.

If we didn't have the right to assemble, speak, or print, minorities probably would still be in a extremely racial environment. If the right to assemble and speak wasn't included in the Constitution, Martin Luther King Jr, Caeser Chavez, or Rosa Parks would not have had the opportunity to fight for the rights they were stripped of.