This blog is an ongoing tool for Mrs. Haas' Civics and Economics class. Students and the teacher will be able to post relevant articles, insight, and resources for classmates.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Which amendment?
Choose an amendment & write at least 2 paragraphs on what life would be like without that amendment.
Without this amendment there would be a lot of conflict people would bring up about what religion they could practice. Some people would not be able to just get up and go to church or pray whenever they want without being persecuted. Everybody might would have to be part of a certain religion if the government established one. There would be a lot of controversy that people would have if they did not want to be a part of that religion. Or, it would also bring some peace because everybody would be a part of the same thing. Then, there would not be any laws discriminating practice of it.
Also, without this amendment, people would not be able to speak freely about whatever they wanted to. They might get in trouble for saying a few things they might not even have meant because they don't have the feedom of speech. People would have to learn not to say a lot of stuff that they think. The government would watch everybody closely as if they were stalking you just to watch what you say. There would be much less privacy for the people. Without this amendment people would not be happy or as free as they think they should be.
Wow - that society doesn't sound very good at all with the government watching all the time. Sounds like a lot of people would live in fear ... either from being persecuted for their religion or not being able to speak out about it. Thanks for your thoughts Brianna!
If the Bill of Rights was rid of the 1st Amendment everyones lifes would be completely different. I would have to live my whole life keeping my thoughts and opinions to myself. The government would control my religion. That would take the whole point out of believing. There would be laws placed on everything. I wouldnt consider my life free without the 1st Amendment. We the people would not be able to assemble ourselfs or protest for what we believe in. As Americans that's our main glory. I would be living in silence. How is anyone supposed to get what they want if they dont have the right to even speak out? I love diversity & there would be alot less of that in a country without the freedom of speech & religion. We would all be products of the government.
That is interesting - "would take the whole point out of believing." I had never thought about that! I love your point, that we wouldn't be free without these protections. Being a product of the government doesn't sound fun at all. Thank you Kellie!
I do have a question...what do you think of how we socialize young children to be patriotic and have similar value systems? It could be interesting to wonder if we are already (at least somewhat) products of our govt?
I'm choosing the first amendment. I know everyone is probably doing this one but honestly it's the one I feel most strongly about. Life without the first amendment would definately be a hard life. If we didn't have the freedom of religion then our lives would be ran by the higher-ups of America. The first amendment is what makes America a more civilized and peacful place to live. If we didn't have the first amendment then we wouldn't have the right to express ourselves openly without getting in trouble for it. Without the freedom of speech we would live in a world of mute people. The freedom of speech gives us the right to say what we need to say and without that what would this world be. If noone could express their opinions then eventually it would be a complete dictatorship with the government with all the power. The freedom to peacfully assemble isn't such a big one but definately life changing if we didnt have it. It works hand in hand with the freedom of speech. Life without the first amendment would definately turn the world into a dictatorship and it would give the government a big head with their power. Life without the first amendment is a life without any freedom at all.
I agree that if the people do not have a voice - then we would have no check on governmental power and it could turn into a dictatorship. Aren't you glad that our government was created for the American people to have the power?!?
Definately. I mean if no one had a voice it would turn into a dictatorship and look how Germany turned out with Hitler (sorry if I'm incorrect about Hitler being in the dictator). But yeah definately!!
I chose the 1st amendment; freedom of religion,speech,press, assembly, and petition the government. i picked this one because without it no one would be different. Also there would be a lot more violence because everyone wouldn't be able to voice their opinion. I also think that without freedom of religion people would practice their religion secretly and a lot more people would be in jail. Without freedom of the press then no one would really know whats going on except for what the government tells them. These are reasons it would be bad without them.
But there would be some good things out of it. Without freedom of speech their wouldn't be as many racist slurs and mean things said. Without freedon of press then people wouldn't get so mad over something a magazine said or a newspaper wrote about. There won't be anything good that would happen if there was no freedom of religion though. people should have the right to pick which religion they want and they should be able to say what they want. the goverment didn't create us so they shouldn't limit us.
Weighing the positive aspects of freedom and the negative aspects - are you glad we have these freedoms or do you think we should have more restricted freedoms?
Without the 1st amendment, our lives would be totally different. The 1st Amendment guarantees the freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and protest. People feel that they should be allowed to be unique and express their opinions openly, and this amendment protects those rights. Chaos would erupt within communities if certain religions were banned, or opinions did not matter. People would be angered that press was monitored and protests were banned. You can say that a lot of people would not be very happy, and things would not look good. The 1st Amendment was established for a purpose. It's understood that without freedom, people rebel. As citizens we should be allowed certain freedoms to do and say as we want within reasonable limits. If the 1st Amendment was removed there would be uprisings and distrust toward our country. Citizens would feel powerless, and react by lashing out. I believe that the country would break into total craziness if the removal of this amendment occurred. Luckily, it was created, and should be here to stay since it is our right as citizens to freedom of speech and opinions.
Do you think that people would be angered because we enjoyed these freedoms and then they were taken away? I just can't help but wonder what it would be like to live in a country in which the people never have these freedoms. Would they know what they were missing out on? Would they revolt for these freedoms? Think about all of the revolutions and uprisings in the Arab countries last year - I wonder what made those citizens finally revolt for more freedom? Do you think our world-wide media played a role in citizens wanting more freedoms?
Without the first admendment, life in America would be much different. We wouldnt have the right to express ourselves openly. Our lives would be completely controlled by the government and we would have no say in how our country is run. Our country would be very similar to the lives the colonists experienced in England before coming to America. The first admendment,in my opinion, is the most important out of every other admendment that makes up the Bill of Rights. The first admendment gives us the freedom to worship however we choose, voice our opinion on any subject, peacefully assemble together, and even petition the government on issues we want to change. The first admendment gives us a voice, it gives the people power. Without the first admendment we would have no voice.
Without Amendment 1 we wouldn't have the freedom to say what we want. If we didn't like the way things were being run by the government we wouldn't be able to say anything. If we did express our opinions we would probably be imprisoned. Everyone would live in fear of getting punished for things they said. There would probably be a rebellion and a lot of riots. Life would be extremely miserable. If we didn't have the freedom of religion a lot of people would probably practice in secret like they did many years ago. People would probably gather at other's houses and worship together in small groups. Many people would probably deny their religion in fear of being caught or punished by the law. The government might even force one religion to be everyone's religion. People might try to rebel and speak out against it. People would proabbly not be very happy with the government.
Very good insight Allison. I think you are exactly right - that people would live in fear. Wouldn't it be scary to know that speaking up about something could lead to imprisonment? In regards to your ideas about freedom of religion, I do think people would have to "hide" their religion. Do you think there are people in other countries that have to do this even today?
If we didn't have this amendment, all our rights to our religions and the rights to be able to say what you want wouldn't be allowed. We would all have to practice a certain religion that the government approves of and this would cause conflict for the people who disagree. Our rights to protest against things that we don't like that the government is enforcing on us would be revoked to where if we spoke our mind on certain laws we could go to jail. The government would be in everyones business all the time and it would be like total control over what we believe and what we say. We would be all the same, no different values or beliefs to keep things interesting. Forcing someone to believe or do something they don't believe in can cause big problems and it could end in war.
Also, without this amendment, we wouldnt have newspapers, magazines or books. All these things would express feelings, ideas and values that the government doesnt promote. That could also cause problems with jobs of libraians and schools. If you couldnt express how you felt it would be difficult to learn because everything would be biased and what the government wants you to learn. This could cause kids to be bored in school, not being able to learn things that intrest them. If the goevernment didnt make this amendment, we would all be forced to do the same things and have the same values.
Your point about the media expressing people's thoughts and feelings is exactly right. I had not even thought about how our media would change if we didn't have the 1st amendment! There are other countries who do try to control the media, and thus control people's ideas - what do you think about that? Thank you for your ideas Hannah!
The thirteenth amendment is the one I choose to blog about. The thirteenth amendment states that, "neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, of any other place subject to their jurisdiction." In other words this means that slavery is no longer alowed in the U.S. except when volunteered or like service hours. It doesn't mean that having a house maid or butler is illegal, but if they are being forced or not paid then that is when it is wrong. It's also saying when someone is doing prison time it is alright for them to labor for punishment by the government. To me the thirteenth amendment is very important in America.
Without the thirteenth amendment, I feel like America wouldn't be the America we know it as today. It wouldn't be known as the land of the free, it would be tainted and brutal. I feel like it wouldn't be as populated people would be trying to escape America instead of trying to get in. There would be a lot of racisim and dislike among citizens. Just imagine how life was when slavery was alowed, all the fighting, and death.. Would you want to live in a world like that?
I too am glad that the 13th amendment was added to our Constituion. I can not imagine living when slavery was acceptable. I like to think that I would have been a strong abolishonist and fought against the injustice of keeping human beings as property. I am very thankful to live in a society where everyone is free.
In my opinion, without the first amendment the world would be boring. The first amendment includes the freedom of religion, freedom of speech, petition of the government, freedom of the press, and freedom of the assembly. If we did not have all of these freedoms everyone would have the same religion. Whether they wanted to be a part of that religion or not. People wouldn't have the right to speak their opinion, and that's how you really get to know someone. If people couldn't speak their opinions then this world would be fake because everyone would have to pretend they like something. If the first amendment wasn't active protesters wouldn't be able to protest against something they disagree with. Newspapers wouldn't be able to write what they wanted to either. Everyone would have to pretend to like everything and wouldn't be able to tell someone their honest opinion about it. The freedom of speech would be the biggest deal to me. How can you hear something you disagree with and just sit there and do nothing? Growing up, I've learned to stand up for what I believe in. If we didn't have the first amendment I, nor you would be able to do so.
I agree that life would be boring without everyone's different opinions and point-of-view. You keep standing up for what you believe in...even if you're standing alone! :)
WITHOUT THE FIRST AMENDMENT!! if we didnt have the first amendment everything would be caos. no one would be safe and nobody could say what they wanted and how they felt. without the first amendment we could not say what we feel, do what we feel, have what we want, and our country would be an unfair terrible place to be and live. people could get punished or killed for doing anything. if we never had the first amendment this country would be at war with its own self. all people of the us would be unhappy all the time and it would almost be like a holacoust or worse. i am so happy for the first amendment, because it lets us express how we feel and actually have freedom to do as we please. but no matter what we will still have laws and rules to keep us in line and safe. we would never get to believe in what we wanted and have to do everything the government tells us. we would be like slaves and never get to see a good part in life.the first amendment is what makes our country a place of freedom and happiness and without it we wouldnt know what to do.
I had not considered that without freedom, people would be pretty much enslaved. Whether it is physical slavery or mental slavery - I am glad that the United States created a system of government that prevents this. Thank you for your thoughts Destiney!
Without amendment 1, we would not be capable of saying what we wanted too. We would never get to say what was really on our mind. If we disagreed with some one we would not be able to say our opinion. We would get in trouble if we were to say something on our mind, and it was offensive to someone or something. People would not get along with eachother as well, and there would always be arguments. It would stink if we didnt have freedom of speech, it would be hard for everyone to express their feelings. Another big, important thing about amendment 1 is congress making no laws respecting an establishment of religion. Everyone would have the same religion. No one would be allowed to express their religion in another way. People would find a way to lie, and try to find ways to practice the religion of their choice. It would be dissapointing for families, not to be able to express the religion they were raised by. There would be no respect for the government if there was no freedom of religion.
The amendment I am choosing is the first amendment. I am choosing this one because i feel like if we didn't have it it would cause the biggest problems without it. Without this amendment we would not have the freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition of the government. I think that if we didnt have the freedom of religion we wouldn't get to believe what we wanted and possibly wouldn't like the religion we were forced to believe.If we didn't have the freedom of speech nobody would be able to voice their opinions and our citizens would't have a say in what goes on.Without the freedom of press we wouldn't get to write what we think in our newspapers and we would only read what our government wanted us too, not what we wanted. If we did not have the freedom of assembly nobody could protest for what they believe and we would have to sit back and watch everything that goes on. Without the freedom of petition of the government everything the government does would have to be okay with us and we could not write to them what we feel should be changed. In saying this if we didn't have the first amendment we would not be as strong of a country in my opinion. Nobody would be as happy here as most people are now and we could not be considered the free country that we are. I hope this tells you that we will always need the first amendment because it keeps our country a more peaceful place. I'm glad we have the first amendment. :)
Hum, was somebody adding "fluff" to the end for the sentence requirement? Haha, j/k Taylor! I do like your point that our freedoms add to the strength of our country and our people. People around the world do look up to the United States as an example of democracy. That is why it is UBER important to be an active citizen and ensure that our democratic legacy is upheld for future generations!
I think that life without the first amendment would be horible. To me this is one of the most important amendments because it gives us most of our freedom. Without the first amendmet we wouldn't have anywhere near the life we have today. We coudn't have the freedom of choosing where we can go to church or even to go to church. We couldn't say what we wanted to, we would be constricted to what the Gov't. wanted us to say. That, I think, is verry important. Another right that we have is the right to free press. Which means that the stories we read everyday could be turned into noting more than propaganda for the Government. We also have the right to assembley, which means stuff like town hall meetings. Without them we coudn't get stuff done. We have the right to Petition the Government, which incase we didn't like the way our Gov't. was being run, we could try to change it. Life would be in total chaos compaired to what we know it as.
Good ideas MacKenzie! I think that many of the things we read, especially during an election season, could be considered propaganda! Have you ever experienced an actual town hall meeting? I think it would be cool!
I think the first Amendment is probably the most important. This amendment states that congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. This simply means that they can't force you to believe in or practice any religion that you don't want to be apart of. This amendment also says that congress cannot abridge the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the perople peaceably to assemble, and to petiton the government for a redress of grievances. So basically, people can saw what they want, as long as its not hurting others, of course. They can protest as well. I think our country would be a mess if we didn't have this amendment. In this day in time, individuals are all about doing what THEY want and doing what's good for THEMSELVES. There are so many different religions out there, and many different people practice them. Can you imagine how much chaos it would be if citizens weren't allowed to practice their religion of choice? People not having their freedom of speech is like people not having water; they can't live without it. Everyone thinks they should be able to say what they want about anything, in my opinion. And I agree with that. It would be hard to live somewhere where you couldn't be a totally free person and be able to voice your opinion. Think about how many rights we might be without if we didn't have freedom of speech or to assemble. If Martin Luther King Jr. never spoke up or protested, some people still might not have all equal rights. So yes, I definitely think that the first Amendment is an essential right in our Constitution.
An Enlightenment philosopher, Voltaire (I believe), is credited with saying, "I may not like what you have to say, but I will defend to death your right to say it." I really like that quote about the freedom of speech.
Thank you for mentioning Dr. King and the Civil Rights movement...it is a monumental time in our nation's history - and a bit of foreshadowing for what is next in our curriculum! :)
Without the eighth amendment, slavery would still be allowed in the US. Slavery was never a good thing as it excluded human beings from everyday things. Even after slavery was abolished, people still didn't respect former slaves and others of their race. I feel that this was wrong. I am glad our country eventually realized this and fixed it. It was simply the right thing to do. As a US citizen, I am glad that we fixed the issue of slavery. I am ashamed that it occured in our country. However, I am also proud that it doesn't occur today. I feel that it took our country too long to discover what was right. It took a war to decide the issue of slavery, which i guess explains just how fragile this issue was. The Civil War proves how determined our country was to fix its mistakes. I am very pround to be a United States citizen.
Me too Davis! I am also glad that we added the 13th amendment to the Constitution to forbid slavery. It is a sad time in American history, but like you, I am glad that we have moved past that time in history. We can always continue working toward more equality. Well, the fire drill just went off...
Amendment 1 is by far the most important to me! Without this amendment we wouldn't be able to talk about God. This amendment has brought many people happiness because they can practice what they love the most. Even if I in a world with no freedom I would still have God in my life. Without this amendment who knows where America would be right now. Another great thing about this amendment is that you have a right to be heard and speak your thoughts! We can speak how we want or believe what we want to believe. However there are limits to the amendment.If you kill because of your religion your still breaking the law and will be punished. You also have limits to how you can say things and where. Without being able to speak freely we wouldn't really know how people really were. They couldn't express theirselves and then you wouldn't know them like you thought you did.
The Amendment that I have chosen is Amendment 8. I have chosen this Amendment because without this Amendment we would still have the electric chair, hanging, the eye for an eye, finger for finger type punishments. In some cases these would be good punishments but in other case it would not be. If you get accused of something you didn’t do and someone would still believe it then you would get one of these punishments for something you didn’t do. For example when the drunk drive hit and killed Robin Bowen she didn’t get a death penalty for that but she killed Robin. I don’t think its right that she killed someone but she gets away with only charges. In certain cases this law should be fair but in others it shouldn’t.
Another example is the Salem Witchcraft Trail in 1692. In1692 nineteen men and women were all accused of being “witches” but really they weren’t. Since they were accused their punishment was death by hanging. Another man of over eighty years was pressed to death under heavy stones for refusing to submit to a trial on witchcraft charges. Hundreds of others faced accusations of witchcraft. Dozens languished in jail for months without trials. Then, almost as soon as it had begun, the hysteria that swept through Puritan Massachusetts ended. This is why I think that Amendment 8 is important to the US.
The thought of having to suffer cruel and unusual punishments is scary! I guess it deferred people from doing anything wrong! On the other hand, do you think we currently do anything today that could be considered cruel and unusual punishment?
I belive that not having the first amendment would completly make a diffents to our lives.I beleive that everybody have the right to establish in ther own religions or beliefs.I also believe we can express our opinons freely,til the point that no one get hurt or offened. Having the right to assemble for what we think is bad or good for us and our country is also a main part to help the country. I beleive that we can make a petition to the government because it would help them know what we want or don't want of us. What we belive is right or that needs to be change to help our country. I am happy that we have this amendment to protect our right and it's one of the most importants amendment that we have and if we didn't have this one we would be in major problems.
Life without the 15th Amendment would be chaos because there would be alot more violence due to people not being able to vote just because of their race.Just look at the United States right now. Barack Obama is currently our preisdent. I've heard alot of people not liking Obama because he's african-american. I find that very messed up because people shouldn't judge people just by their skin color/race. As what Denis Waitley quotes 'There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.'you can't change what happened and all you can do is just accept the fact that he's president.
In my opinion, you shouldn't judge the president by how they look, but for what they do for the country. If they do a good job, then you should support them. But if they do a bad job, then i guess you could not like them because they have don nothing for the country. That's what i would think life would be like without the 15th amendment.
Very good points Stan. I agree - we should judge politicians by their effectiveness in office and definitely NOT by their race. It is unfortunate that even in 2012, people still discriminate because of race. I honestly think that your point about people not liking President Obama because of his race is accurate. How embarrassing for America to have this shadow of hate. Thank you for writing about this sensitive issue.
Without having the first amendment in our society life as we know it would be terrible. The first amendment states that you have a freedom of speech, religion, press and petition. Without the freedom of speech we would all have to obey the government and say what they tell us to. There would also be more violence because people couldnt voice their own opinions about something. Which could erupt in a lot of riots or fights. Without the freedom of petition we couldnt petition the government on something we dont agree with. Which would be very hard for some people to get used to. Without the freedom of religion we would all have to follow the same religion. We couldnt go to the church of our choosing. We also couldnt speak about God in public because we could offend some people. This would be hard for me because I love talking about God and going to church. These are reasons why the 1st Amendment is important to the U.S.
The amendment I am choosing is the first amendment. I am choosing this amendment because i feel like it is the utmost important amendment to me. Without this amendment our world would not stand. This amendment is concerning the Freedom of Religion, the Freedom of Speech, Freedom if the Press, the right to peaceably assemble, and the right to petition the government. These right, in my opinion, are very important to have. This amendment allows the people to have somewhat control of what goes on, and it also let's people stand up for for what the want to. If someone were to take these rights included in the first amendment away, many lives would be drastically changed in a negative way. In some cases, people might not even be allowed to have a bible in their house, or practice the religion they wish to practice. We would not be able to voice our opinions on some subjects, or take a stand against some things. Without this amendment we would have very little control over our own lives and how we choose to live them.
Without the first amendment we wouldn't be able to live our lives the way we do. The first amendment is the right to freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly and the right to petition the government. Without the freedom of speech we wouldn't be able to voice our opinions. With out it you could get in trouble for saying something you might not have meant, just our of anger, so the first amendment is there to protect you from that. Without the freedom of religion you would be confined to a certain religion. More than likely it would be a religion you didn't believe in. Without the freedom of press we wouldn't be able to have magazines or newspapers. Although the newspaper isn't as widely read anymore it was a major way for people to communicate long ago and without the freedom of press that would be taken away. Without the freedom to petition the government, if the government were to make a big decision you wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Without this the people would be at the mercy of what ever the government said. Lastly, without the freedom of assembly we wouldn't be able hold meetings or gather together to pass new laws. I can't imagine what it would be like to live somewhere else where I didn't have these rights.
I am glad that you pointed out the decline of readership of a traditional newspaper. Major newspapers are transitioning to providing news online - for instance, you could read a certain # of articles for free each month but if you wanted to read more, you would subscribe. What do you think of this? Do you envision your generation receiving media differently than in the past?
I think that the 2nd amendment is a very important amendment. Everyone just automatically assumes that we shouldn't have weapons because they're dangerous or something bad is going to happen. I have to strongly disagree. Sure, weapons can be dangerous, but not if you use them the right way. Not only are weapons fun, but they can also be used for self defense in a life or death situation. I agree that some people may not be responsible enough to use weapons, but that doesn't mean that they shouldn't be ileagle.
I love this amendment. If they were to take away our right to bear arms, not everyone would follow by that rule. Someone would break that law, I mean people break laws all the time. What if someone that broke that law showed up at your door step with a gun and threatened to kill you? Imagine that you chose to obey the law by not having any weapons. How would you defend yourself? I think that having weapons are fine as long as you use them very responsibly. I definately think that the 2nd amendment is one of the most important amendments.
I believe that the 15th amendment is very important. If we didnt have this amendment The whole political world that we know would be different. Barack Obama would not be our president today. That means we would not have broken the chain of having all white presidents. Considering the fact that we had never had a black president before some people of the same race as him probably voted for him for that reason. If black people were not aloud to vote that would have changed the whole election. Along with many other elections the end results would have never been the same if all the people were not aloud to vote.
It should not be about what your race is its about what somebody as a person thinks and believes. I read a quote that said " change equals the furture, if your scared of change you will never reach the future". Without this amendment there would be a significant change in our history today. I am very proud that we can say all citizens have the right to vote.
1st Amendment
ReplyDeleteWithout this amendment there would be a lot of conflict people would bring up about what religion they could practice. Some people would not be able to just get up and go to church or pray whenever they want without being persecuted. Everybody might would have to be part of a certain religion if the government established one. There would be a lot of controversy that people would have if they did not want to be a part of that religion. Or, it would also bring some peace because everybody would be a part of the same thing. Then, there would not be any laws discriminating practice of it.
Also, without this amendment, people would not be able to speak freely about whatever they wanted to. They might get in trouble for saying a few things they might not even have meant because they don't have the feedom of speech. People would have to learn not to say a lot of stuff that they think. The government would watch everybody closely as if they were stalking you just to watch what you say. There would be much less privacy for the people. Without this amendment people would not be happy or as free as they think they should be.
Wow - that society doesn't sound very good at all with the government watching all the time. Sounds like a lot of people would live in fear ... either from being persecuted for their religion or not being able to speak out about it. Thanks for your thoughts Brianna!
DeleteIf the Bill of Rights was rid of the 1st Amendment everyones lifes would be completely different. I would have to live my whole life keeping my thoughts and opinions to myself. The government would control my religion. That would take the whole point out of believing. There would be laws placed on everything. I wouldnt consider my life free without the 1st Amendment.
ReplyDeleteWe the people would not be able to assemble ourselfs or protest for what we believe in. As Americans that's our main glory. I would be living in silence. How is anyone supposed to get what they want if they dont have the right to even speak out? I love diversity & there would be alot less of that in a country without the freedom of speech & religion. We would all be products of the government.
That is interesting - "would take the whole point out of believing." I had never thought about that! I love your point, that we wouldn't be free without these protections. Being a product of the government doesn't sound fun at all. Thank you Kellie!
DeleteI do have a question...what do you think of how we socialize young children to be patriotic and have similar value systems? It could be interesting to wonder if we are already (at least somewhat) products of our govt?
I'm choosing the first amendment. I know everyone is probably doing this one but honestly it's the one I feel most strongly about. Life without the first amendment would definately be a hard life. If we didn't have the freedom of religion then our lives would be ran by the higher-ups of America. The first amendment is what makes America a more civilized and peacful place to live. If we didn't have the first amendment then we wouldn't have the right to express ourselves openly without getting in trouble for it.
ReplyDeleteWithout the freedom of speech we would live in a world of mute people. The freedom of speech gives us the right to say what we need to say and without that what would this world be. If noone could express their opinions then eventually it would be a complete dictatorship with the government with all the power. The freedom to peacfully assemble isn't such a big one but definately life changing if we didnt have it. It works hand in hand with the freedom of speech. Life without the first amendment would definately turn the world into a dictatorship and it would give the government a big head with their power. Life without the first amendment is a life without any freedom at all.
I agree that if the people do not have a voice - then we would have no check on governmental power and it could turn into a dictatorship. Aren't you glad that our government was created for the American people to have the power?!?
DeleteDefinately. I mean if no one had a voice it would turn into a dictatorship and look how Germany turned out with Hitler (sorry if I'm incorrect about Hitler being in the dictator). But yeah definately!!
DeleteI chose the 1st amendment; freedom of religion,speech,press, assembly, and petition the government. i picked this one because without it no one would be different. Also there would be a lot more violence because everyone wouldn't be able to voice their opinion. I also think that without freedom of religion people would practice their religion secretly and a lot more people would be in jail. Without freedom of the press then no one would really know whats going on except for what the government tells them. These are reasons it would be bad without them.
ReplyDeleteBut there would be some good things out of it. Without freedom of speech their wouldn't be as many racist slurs and mean things said. Without freedon of press then people wouldn't get so mad over something a magazine said or a newspaper wrote about. There won't be anything good that would happen if there was no freedom of religion though. people should have the right to pick which religion they want and they should be able to say what they want. the goverment didn't create us so they shouldn't limit us.
Weighing the positive aspects of freedom and the negative aspects - are you glad we have these freedoms or do you think we should have more restricted freedoms?
DeleteWithout the 1st amendment, our lives would be totally different. The 1st Amendment guarantees the freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and protest. People feel that they should be allowed to be unique and express their opinions openly, and this amendment protects those rights. Chaos would erupt within communities if certain religions were banned, or opinions did not matter. People would be angered that press was monitored and protests were banned. You can say that a lot of people would not be very happy, and things would not look good.
ReplyDeleteThe 1st Amendment was established for a purpose. It's understood that without freedom, people rebel. As citizens we should be allowed certain freedoms to do and say as we want within reasonable limits. If the 1st Amendment was removed there would be uprisings and distrust toward our country. Citizens would feel powerless, and react by lashing out. I believe that the country would break into total craziness if the removal of this amendment occurred. Luckily, it was created, and should be here to stay since it is our right as citizens to freedom of speech and opinions.
Do you think that people would be angered because we enjoyed these freedoms and then they were taken away? I just can't help but wonder what it would be like to live in a country in which the people never have these freedoms. Would they know what they were missing out on? Would they revolt for these freedoms? Think about all of the revolutions and uprisings in the Arab countries last year - I wonder what made those citizens finally revolt for more freedom? Do you think our world-wide media played a role in citizens wanting more freedoms?
DeleteWithout the first admendment, life in America would be much different. We wouldnt have the right to express ourselves openly. Our lives would be completely controlled by the government and we would have no say in how our country is run. Our country would be very similar to the lives the colonists experienced in England before coming to America.
ReplyDeleteThe first admendment,in my opinion, is the most important out of every other admendment that makes up the Bill of Rights. The first admendment gives us the freedom to worship however we choose, voice our opinion on any subject, peacefully assemble together, and even petition the government on issues we want to change. The first admendment gives us a voice, it gives the people power. Without the first admendment we would have no voice.
Isn't it awesome that we do have a voice and a say in how our govt is run? :)Don't ever forget that - be an active citizen! Thanks Kailin!
DeleteWithout Amendment 1 we wouldn't have the freedom to say what we want. If we didn't like the way things were being run by the government we wouldn't be able to say anything. If we did express our opinions we would probably be imprisoned. Everyone would live in fear of getting punished for things they said. There would probably be a rebellion and a lot of riots. Life would be extremely miserable.
ReplyDeleteIf we didn't have the freedom of religion a lot of people would probably practice in secret like they did many years ago. People would probably gather at other's houses and worship together in small groups. Many people would probably deny their religion in fear of being caught or punished by the law. The government might even force one religion to be everyone's religion. People might try to rebel and speak out against it. People would proabbly not be very happy with the government.
Very good insight Allison. I think you are exactly right - that people would live in fear.
DeleteWouldn't it be scary to know that speaking up about something could lead to imprisonment? In regards to your ideas about freedom of religion, I do think people would have to "hide" their religion. Do you think there are people in other countries that have to do this even today?
Amendment 1:
ReplyDeleteIf we didn't have this amendment, all our rights to our religions and the rights to be able to say what you want wouldn't be allowed. We would all have to practice a certain religion that the government approves of and this would cause conflict for the people who disagree. Our rights to protest against things that we don't like that the government is enforcing on us would be revoked to where if we spoke our mind on certain laws we could go to jail. The government would be in everyones business all the time and it would be like total control over what we believe and what we say. We would be all the same, no different values or beliefs to keep things interesting. Forcing someone to believe or do something they don't believe in can cause big problems and it could end in war.
Also, without this amendment, we wouldnt have newspapers, magazines or books. All these things would express feelings, ideas and values that the government doesnt promote. That could also cause problems with jobs of libraians and schools. If you couldnt express how you felt it would be difficult to learn because everything would be biased and what the government wants you to learn. This could cause kids to be bored in school, not being able to learn things that intrest them. If the goevernment didnt make this amendment, we would all be forced to do the same things and have the same values.
Your point about the media expressing people's thoughts and feelings is exactly right. I had not even thought about how our media would change if we didn't have the 1st amendment! There are other countries who do try to control the media, and thus control people's ideas - what do you think about that? Thank you for your ideas Hannah!
DeleteThe thirteenth amendment is the one I choose to blog about. The thirteenth amendment states that, "neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, of any other place subject to their jurisdiction." In other words this means that slavery is no longer alowed in the U.S. except when volunteered or like service hours. It doesn't mean that having a house maid or butler is illegal, but if they are being forced or not paid then that is when it is wrong. It's also saying when someone is doing prison time it is alright for them to labor for punishment by the government. To me the thirteenth amendment is very important in America.
ReplyDeleteWithout the thirteenth amendment, I feel like America wouldn't be the America we know it as today. It wouldn't be known as the land of the free, it would be tainted and brutal. I feel like it wouldn't be as populated people would be trying to escape America instead of trying to get in. There would be a lot of racisim and dislike among citizens. Just imagine how life was when slavery was alowed, all the fighting, and death.. Would you want to live in a world like that?
I too am glad that the 13th amendment was added to our Constituion. I can not imagine living when slavery was acceptable. I like to think that I would have been a strong abolishonist and fought against the injustice of keeping human beings as property. I am very thankful to live in a society where everyone is free.
DeleteIn my opinion, without the first amendment the world would be boring. The first amendment includes the freedom of religion, freedom of speech, petition of the government, freedom of the press, and freedom of the assembly. If we did not have all of these freedoms everyone would have the same religion. Whether they wanted to be a part of that religion or not. People wouldn't have the right to speak their opinion, and that's how you really get to know someone. If people couldn't speak their opinions then this world would be fake because everyone would have to pretend they like something.
ReplyDeleteIf the first amendment wasn't active protesters wouldn't be able to protest against something they disagree with. Newspapers wouldn't be able to write what they wanted to either. Everyone would have to pretend to like everything and wouldn't be able to tell someone their honest opinion about it. The freedom of speech would be the biggest deal to me. How can you hear something you disagree with and just sit there and do nothing? Growing up, I've learned to stand up for what I believe in. If we didn't have the first amendment I, nor you would be able to do so.
I agree that life would be boring without everyone's different opinions and point-of-view. You keep standing up for what you believe in...even if you're standing alone! :)
DeleteWITHOUT THE FIRST AMENDMENT!!
ReplyDeleteif we didnt have the first amendment everything would be caos. no one would be safe and nobody could say what they wanted and how they felt. without the first amendment we could not say what we feel, do what we feel, have what we want, and our country would be an unfair terrible place to be and live. people could get punished or killed for doing anything. if we never had the first amendment this country would be at war with its own self. all people of the us would be unhappy all the time and it would almost be like a holacoust or worse. i am so happy for the first amendment, because it lets us express how we feel and actually have freedom to do as we please. but no matter what we will still have laws and rules to keep us in line and safe. we would never get to believe in what we wanted and have to do everything the government tells us. we would be like slaves and never get to see a good part in life.the first amendment is what makes our country a place of freedom and happiness and without it we wouldnt know what to do.
I had not considered that without freedom, people would be pretty much enslaved. Whether it is physical slavery or mental slavery - I am glad that the United States created a system of government that prevents this. Thank you for your thoughts Destiney!
DeleteWithout amendment 1, we would not be capable of saying what we wanted too. We would never get to say what was really on our mind. If we disagreed with some one we would not be able to say our opinion. We would get in trouble if we were to say something on our mind, and it was offensive to someone or something. People would not get along with eachother as well, and there would always be arguments. It would stink if we didnt have freedom of speech, it would be hard for everyone to express their feelings.
ReplyDeleteAnother big, important thing about amendment 1 is congress making no laws respecting an establishment of religion. Everyone would have the same religion. No one would be allowed to express their religion in another way. People would find a way to lie, and try to find ways to practice the religion of their choice. It would be dissapointing for families, not to be able to express the religion they were raised by. There would be no respect for the government if there was no freedom of religion.
Interesting - do you think that our freedoms create a sense of respect for our govt?
DeleteThe amendment I am choosing is the first amendment. I am choosing this one because i feel like if we didn't have it it would cause the biggest problems without it. Without this amendment we would not have the freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition of the government. I think that if we didnt have the freedom of religion we wouldn't get to believe what we wanted and possibly wouldn't like the religion we were forced to believe.If we didn't have the freedom of speech nobody would be able to voice their opinions and our citizens would't have a say in what goes on.Without the freedom of press we wouldn't get to write what we think in our newspapers and we would only read what our government wanted us too, not what we wanted.
ReplyDeleteIf we did not have the freedom of assembly nobody could protest for what they believe and we would have to sit back and watch everything that goes on. Without the freedom of petition of the government everything the government does would have to be okay with us and we could not write to them what we feel should be changed. In saying this if we didn't have the first amendment we would not be as strong of a country in my opinion. Nobody would be as happy here as most people are now and we could not be considered the free country that we are. I hope this tells you that we will always need the first amendment because it keeps our country a more peaceful place. I'm glad we have the first amendment. :)
Hum, was somebody adding "fluff" to the end for the sentence requirement? Haha, j/k Taylor! I do like your point that our freedoms add to the strength of our country and our people. People around the world do look up to the United States as an example of democracy. That is why it is UBER important to be an active citizen and ensure that our democratic legacy is upheld for future generations!
DeleteTaylor, this is very good! I give you an A+
DeleteI think that life without the first amendment would be horible. To me this is one of the most important amendments because it gives us most of our freedom. Without the first amendmet we wouldn't have anywhere near the life we have today. We coudn't have the freedom of choosing where we can go to church or even to go to church. We couldn't say what we wanted to, we would be constricted to what the Gov't. wanted us to say. That, I think, is verry important.
ReplyDeleteAnother right that we have is the right to free press. Which means that the stories we read everyday could be turned into noting more than propaganda for the Government. We also have the right to assembley, which means stuff like town hall meetings. Without them we coudn't get stuff done. We have the right to Petition the Government, which incase we didn't like the way our Gov't. was being run, we could try to change it. Life would be in total chaos compaired to what we know it as.
Good ideas MacKenzie! I think that many of the things we read, especially during an election season, could be considered propaganda! Have you ever experienced an actual town hall meeting? I think it would be cool!
DeleteI think the first Amendment is probably the most important. This amendment states that congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. This simply means that they can't force you to believe in or practice any religion that you don't want to be apart of. This amendment also says that congress cannot abridge the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the perople peaceably to assemble, and to petiton the government for a redress of grievances. So basically, people can saw what they want, as long as its not hurting others, of course. They can protest as well.
ReplyDeleteI think our country would be a mess if we didn't have this amendment. In this day in time, individuals are all about doing what THEY want and doing what's good for THEMSELVES. There are so many different religions out there, and many different people practice them. Can you imagine how much chaos it would be if citizens weren't allowed to practice their religion of choice? People not having their freedom of speech is like people not having water; they can't live without it. Everyone thinks they should be able to say what they want about anything, in my opinion. And I agree with that. It would be hard to live somewhere where you couldn't be a totally free person and be able to voice your opinion. Think about how many rights we might be without if we didn't have freedom of speech or to assemble. If Martin Luther King Jr. never spoke up or protested, some people still might not have all equal rights.
So yes, I definitely think that the first Amendment is an essential right in our Constitution.
An Enlightenment philosopher, Voltaire (I believe), is credited with saying, "I may not like what you have to say, but I will defend to death your right to say it." I really like that quote about the freedom of speech.
DeleteThank you for mentioning Dr. King and the Civil Rights movement...it is a monumental time in our nation's history - and a bit of foreshadowing for what is next in our curriculum! :)
Without the eighth amendment, slavery would still be allowed in the US. Slavery was never a good thing as it excluded human beings from everyday things. Even after slavery was abolished, people still didn't respect former slaves and others of their race. I feel that this was wrong. I am glad our country eventually realized this and fixed it. It was simply the right thing to do.
ReplyDeleteAs a US citizen, I am glad that we fixed the issue of slavery. I am ashamed that it occured in our country. However, I am also proud that it doesn't occur today. I feel that it took our country too long to discover what was right. It took a war to decide the issue of slavery, which i guess explains just how fragile this issue was. The Civil War proves how determined our country was to fix its mistakes. I am very pround to be a United States citizen.
Me too Davis! I am also glad that we added the 13th amendment to the Constitution to forbid slavery. It is a sad time in American history, but like you, I am glad that we have moved past that time in history. We can always continue working toward more equality. Well, the fire drill just went off...
DeleteAmendment 1 is by far the most important to me!
ReplyDeleteWithout this amendment we wouldn't be able to talk about God. This amendment has brought many people happiness because they can practice what they love the most. Even if I in a world with no freedom I would still have God in my life. Without this amendment who knows where America would be right now. Another great thing about this amendment is that you have a right to be heard and speak your thoughts!
We can speak how we want or believe what we want to believe. However there are limits to the amendment.If you kill because of your religion your still breaking the law and will be punished. You also have limits to how you can say things and where. Without being able to speak freely we wouldn't really know how people really were. They couldn't express theirselves and then you wouldn't know them like you thought you did.
I like how you point out that even though we enjoy many freedoms, there are limits to those freedoms. Thanks Jamie!
DeleteThe Amendment that I have chosen is Amendment 8. I have chosen this Amendment because without this Amendment we would still have the electric chair, hanging, the eye for an eye, finger for finger type punishments. In some cases these would be good punishments but in other case it would not be. If you get accused of something you didn’t do and someone would still believe it then you would get one of these punishments for something you didn’t do. For example when the drunk drive hit and killed Robin Bowen she didn’t get a death penalty for that but she killed Robin. I don’t think its right that she killed someone but she gets away with only charges. In certain cases this law should be fair but in others it shouldn’t.
ReplyDeleteAnother example is the Salem Witchcraft Trail in 1692. In1692 nineteen men and women were all accused of being “witches” but really they weren’t. Since they were accused their punishment was death by hanging. Another man of over eighty years was pressed to death under heavy stones for refusing to submit to a trial on witchcraft charges. Hundreds of others faced accusations of witchcraft. Dozens languished in jail for months without trials. Then, almost as soon as it had begun, the hysteria that swept through Puritan Massachusetts ended. This is why I think that Amendment 8 is important to the US.
The thought of having to suffer cruel and unusual punishments is scary! I guess it deferred people from doing anything wrong! On the other hand, do you think we currently do anything today that could be considered cruel and unusual punishment?
DeleteI belive that not having the first amendment would completly make a diffents to our lives.I beleive that everybody have the right to establish in ther own religions or beliefs.I also believe we can express our opinons freely,til the point that no one get hurt or offened. Having the right to assemble for what we think is bad or good for us and our country is also a main part to help the country. I beleive that we can make a petition to the government because it would help them know what we want or don't want of us. What we belive is right or that needs to be change to help our country.
ReplyDeleteI am happy that we have this amendment to protect our right and it's one of the most importants amendment that we have and if we didn't have this one we would be in major problems.
I agree Rosario - I am very happy that we have this amendment too!
DeleteLife without the 15th Amendment would be chaos because there would be alot more violence due to people not being able to vote just because of their race.Just look at the United States right now. Barack Obama is currently our preisdent. I've heard alot of people not liking Obama because he's african-american. I find that very messed up because people shouldn't judge people just by their skin color/race. As what Denis Waitley quotes 'There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.'you can't change what happened and all you can do is just accept the fact that he's president.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, you shouldn't judge the president by how they look, but for what they do for the country. If they do a good job, then you should support them. But if they do a bad job, then i guess you could not like them because they have don nothing for the country. That's what i would think life would be like without the 15th amendment.
Very good points Stan. I agree - we should judge politicians by their effectiveness in office and definitely NOT by their race. It is unfortunate that even in 2012, people still discriminate because of race. I honestly think that your point about people not liking President Obama because of his race is accurate. How embarrassing for America to have this shadow of hate. Thank you for writing about this sensitive issue.
DeleteWow - wonder why (most) everyone commented on the 1st amendment? Haha! I'm UBER proud of you all - self-directed learners!
ReplyDeleteWithout having the first amendment in our society life as we know it would be terrible. The first amendment states that you have a freedom of speech, religion, press and petition. Without the freedom of speech we would all have to obey the government and say what they tell us to. There would also be more violence because people couldnt voice their own opinions about something. Which could erupt in a lot of riots or fights. Without the freedom of petition we couldnt petition the government on something we dont agree with. Which would be very hard for some people to get used to.
ReplyDeleteWithout the freedom of religion we would all have to follow the same religion. We couldnt go to the church of our choosing. We also couldnt speak about God in public because we could offend some people. This would be hard for me because I love talking about God and going to church. These are reasons why the 1st Amendment is important to the U.S.
Thank you for your thoughts Brett!
DeleteThe amendment I am choosing is the first amendment. I am choosing this amendment because i feel like it is the utmost important amendment to me. Without this amendment our world would not stand. This amendment is concerning the Freedom of Religion, the Freedom of Speech, Freedom if the Press, the right to peaceably assemble, and the right to petition the government. These right, in my opinion, are very important to have. This amendment allows the people to have somewhat control of what goes on, and it also let's people stand up for for what the want to.
ReplyDeleteIf someone were to take these rights included in the first amendment away, many lives would be drastically changed in a negative way. In some cases, people might not even be allowed to have a bible in their house, or practice the religion they wish to practice. We would not be able to voice our opinions on some subjects, or take a stand against some things. Without this amendment we would have very little control over our own lives and how we choose to live them.
Thank you for your response Averi!
DeleteWithout the first amendment we wouldn't be able to live our lives the way we do. The first amendment is the right to freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly and the right to petition the government. Without the freedom of speech we wouldn't be able to voice our opinions. With out it you could get in trouble for saying something you might not have meant, just our of anger, so the first amendment is there to protect you from that. Without the freedom of religion you would be confined to a certain religion. More than likely it would be a religion you didn't believe in.
ReplyDeleteWithout the freedom of press we wouldn't be able to have magazines or newspapers. Although the newspaper isn't as widely read anymore it was a major way for people to communicate long ago and without the freedom of press that would be taken away. Without the freedom to petition the government, if the government were to make a big decision you wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Without this the people would be at the mercy of what ever the government said. Lastly, without the freedom of assembly we wouldn't be able hold meetings or gather together to pass new laws. I can't imagine what it would be like to live somewhere else where I didn't have these rights.
I am glad that you pointed out the decline of readership of a traditional newspaper. Major newspapers are transitioning to providing news online - for instance, you could read a certain # of articles for free each month but if you wanted to read more, you would subscribe. What do you think of this? Do you envision your generation receiving media differently than in the past?
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ReplyDelete2nd Amendment
ReplyDeleteI think that the 2nd amendment is a very important amendment. Everyone just automatically assumes that we shouldn't have weapons because they're dangerous or something bad is going to happen. I have to strongly disagree. Sure, weapons can be dangerous, but not if you use them the right way. Not only are weapons fun, but they can also be used for self defense in a life or death situation. I agree that some people may not be responsible enough to use weapons, but that doesn't mean that they shouldn't be ileagle.
I love this amendment. If they were to take away our right to bear arms, not everyone would follow by that rule. Someone would break that law, I mean people break laws all the time. What if someone that broke that law showed up at your door step with a gun and threatened to kill you? Imagine that you chose to obey the law by not having any weapons. How would you defend yourself? I think that having weapons are fine as long as you use them very responsibly. I definately think that the 2nd amendment is one of the most important amendments.
I believe that the 15th amendment is very important. If we didnt have this amendment The whole political world that we know would be different. Barack Obama would not be our president today. That means we would not have broken the chain of having all white presidents. Considering the fact that we had never had a black president before some people of the same race as him probably voted for him for that reason. If black people were not aloud to vote that would have changed the whole election. Along with many other elections the end results would have never been the same if all the people were not aloud to vote.
ReplyDeleteIt should not be about what your race is its about what somebody as a person thinks and believes. I read a quote that said " change equals the furture, if your scared of change you will never reach the future". Without this amendment there would be a significant change in our history today. I am very proud that we can say all citizens have the right to vote.