Books with title The Bill of Rights: A User's Guide

With a foreword by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the U. S. Supreme Court. An Engaging, Accessible Guide to the Bill of Rights for Everyday Citizens. In The Bill of Rights: A User's Guide, award-winning author and constitutional scholar Linda R. Monk explores the remarkable history of the Bill of Rights amendment by amendment, the Supreme Court's interpretation of each right, and the power of citizens to enforce those rights. Stories of the ordinary people who made the Bill of Rights come alive are featured throughout. These include Fannie Lou Hamer, a Mississippi sharecropper who became a national civil rights leader; Clarence Earl Gideon, a prisoner whose handwritten petition to the Supreme Court expanded the right to counsel; Mary Beth Tinker, a 13-year-old whose protest of the Vietnam War established free speech rights for students; Michael Hardwick, a bartender who fought for privacy after police entered his bedroom unlawfully; Suzette Kelo, a nurse who opposed the city's takeover of her working-class neighborhood; and Simon Tam, a millennial whose 10-year trademark battle for his band “The Slants” ended in a unanimous Supreme Court victory. Such people prove that, in the words of Judge Learned Hand, “Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court, can save it. ” Exploring the history, scope, and meaning of the first ten amendments-as well as the Fourteenth Amendment, which nationalized them and extended new rights of equality to all-The Bill of Rights: A User's Guide is a powerful examination of the values that define American life and the tools that every citizen needs. Winner of the American Bar Association's Silver Gavel Award, its highest honor for media about the law.

"There's been a lot of buzz lately about how some of the Founding Fathers' values were different from our own. So how exactly does a 200-year-old document relate to our contemporary society? This book discusses the origin of the Bill of Rights, details each of the first ten amendments, and helps readers connect these fundamental rights with present-day issues. Colorful graphics, photographs, and informative fact boxes-in addition to accessible vocabulary-make this complex topic easy to read about"--

The Bill of Rights is one of the most cited texts in political debates today. Indeed, courts and lawmakers are deeply involved in interpreting and understanding the text of the first ten amendments to the US Constitution, making it perhaps the most important primary source with which readers should be familiar. This vibrantly illustrated lower elementary title helps readers understand the text of the Bill of Rights and its importance to political discourse today. Compare and Contrast boxes help readers compare the rights granted by the different amendments, while Think About It boxes pose critical questions about the importance of the original text.

After the drafting of the U.S. Constitution, James Madison realized there were no laws established to protect the rights of the people. In 1791, the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution. Beginning readers will be introduced to this important symbol of freedom through its definition, history, and examples of how people practice their rights today! Photo labels visually define glossary terms and other important words. Picture glossaries offer visual supports. Simple infographics further explain parts, location, and meanings specific to each title.

The Bill of Rights is one of the most cited texts in political debates today. Indeed, courts and lawmakers are deeply involved in interpreting and understanding the text of the first ten amendments to the US Constitution, making it perhaps the most important primary source with which readers should be familiar. This vibrantly illustrated lower elementary title helps readers understand the text of the Bill of Rights and its importance to political discourse today. Compare and Contrast boxes help readers compare the rights granted by the different amendments, while Think About It boxes pose critical questions about the importance of the original text.