Amendment 1(I): This amendment is officially named the First Amendment. The First Amendment says that the Congress should not make any law that establishes religion, prohibits the freedom of speech, or the rights of the people, and for the government to redress the grievances. This amendment changed the Constitution by establishing our right of freedom of speech, press, religion, assembly, and petition. This amendment was ratified on December 15, 1791. It was sent to the United States to be ratified on September 25, 1789. The First Amendment was written because the citizens of the states demanded a guarantee that they should have basic rights and freedoms. The First Amendment affects our lives today by it being the reason that we have our rights and freedoms as United States citizens.
Amendment 2(II): This amendment is officially named the Second Amendment. The Second Amendment says that a strong military is necessary for the security and protection of the states. It also describes that we have the right to keep and bear arms and that this amendment should not be violated by anyone or anything. This amendment changed the Constitution by establishing a well structured military and giving US citizens the right to use guns/weapons in self-defense situations. The Second Amendment was ratified on December 15, 1791. This was also passed by Congress on September 25, 1789. The Second Amendment was written because it gave us a military that knew how to protect US citizens and their rights. The Second Amendment affects our lives today by it being the reason that we have a military that is well generated and it establishing that we have the right to use a gun/weapon for self-defense purposes.
Amendment 3(III): This amendment is officially named the Third Amendment. The Third Amendment says that no soldier should be quartered in times of war and peace. This amendment is protecting our rights to ownership and our use of our property without having to worry about the government intruding in our business. The Third Amendment changed the Constitution by establishing a law that the soldiers will be protected. This amendment was ratified on December 15, 1791. This amendment was also introduced to the United States on September 25, 1789. The Third Amendment was written because it forbids the government from quartering soldiers in houses without the owner's permission. The Third Amendment affects our lives today by it being the reason that we have protection of our military from the government.
Amendment 4(IV): This amendment is officially named the Fourth Amendment. The Fourth Amendment says that the police or a government official cannot search our house for anything a search warrant. This amendment has changed the Constitution by allowing us to our right of privacy by not allowing the government to intrude without a warrant. This amendment was ratified on December 15, 1791. This amendment was passed by Congress on September 25, 1789. The Fourth Amendment was written because it allowed for us to have privacy rights from the Constitution. The Fourth Amendment affects our lives today by it being the reason that we have rights to our privacy from having to worry about the government intruding on our business.
Amendment 5(V): This amendment is officially named the Fifth Amendment. The Fifth Amendment says that we have the right to a lawyer if we are trialed in court and we have the right to not say anything that may incriminate ourselves. This amendment changed the Constitution by allowing us to have a lawyer to represent us in court, if was are on put on trial. It also allows us the right to not say anything that may incriminate ourselves when we are getting arrested. This amendment was ratified on December 15, 1791. This amendment was also passed by Congress on September 25, 1789. This amendment was written to establish a law to allow a criminal to not say anything that could be used against them in court. The Fifth Amendment affects our lives today by it being the reason we are allowed to not say anything to an officer or government official because it may be used against us in court and could lead to the criminal incriminating themselves.
Amendment 6(VI): This amendment is officially named the Sixth Amendment. The Sixth Amendment says that we have the right to a speedy trial, a fair jury, an attorney to represent them in court, and the right to confront the witnesses that put you on trial for that crime. This amendment changed the Constitution by allowing a citizen the right to a fair trial and an attorney to represent you in the court for your case. This Amendment was ratified on December 15, 1791. This amendment was also passed by Congress on September 25, 1789. This amendment was written to establish a clear rule for a criminal who is on trial to a fair jury and trial and an attorney to help you win the case. The Sixth Amendment affects our lives today by it being the reason that we are allowed to an attorney and to a fair jury that doesn’t know either person that is on trial and that is prepared to reach a decision while in court.
Amendment 7(VII): This amendment is officially named the Seventh Amendment. The Seventh Amendment says that citizens have the right to a jury in civil cases. This amendment changed the Constitution by allowing people to have the right to a jury that doesn’t know either the plaintiff or the defendant, so that they won’t be bias in civil cases. This amendment was ratified on December 15, 1791. This amendment was also passed by Congress on September 25, 1789. This amendment was written to establish a clear rule that would allow citizens to the right to a jury that will not be bias in court. The Seventh Amendment affects our lives today by allowing us the right to have a jury in civil cases.
Amendment 8(VIII): This amendment is officially named the Eighth Amendment. The Eighth Amendment says that there should not be an excessive bail in a case or an unusual or cruel punishment within a case. This amendment changed the Constitution by allowing the criminal within a case to not have a cruel punishment or a big amount of money that may be added if that person doesn’t show up to the case. This amendment was ratified on December 15, 1791. This amendment was also passed by Congress on September 25, 1789. This amendment was written so that criminals would have the right to not be served with a cruel punishment or an big amount of money that they are more likely to not be able to pay. This amendment affects our lives today by establishing a clear and reasonable punishment and bail for a person that is on trial.
Amendment 9(IX): This amendment is officially named the Ninth Amendment. The Ninth Amendment says that there are other rights that could exist along with the other rights that have been mentioned, but the rights that have been mentioned and the rights that are to come should not be violated in any way, shape, or form. This amendment changed the Constitution by establishing that the rights for US citizens that have been granted by the Constitution should not be violated in any way. The Ninth Amendment was ratified on December 15, 1791. This amendment was also passed by Congress on September 25, 1789. This amendment was written to establish a clear rule that the rights of citizens should not be violated. The Ninth Amendment affects our lives today by granting us rights and laws that we should abide by and that we should respect and not violate.
Amendment 10(X): This amendment is officially named the Tenth Amendment. The Tenth Amendment says that if there are any powers that are not granted to the federal government, that those powers go to the people or the states. This amendment changed the Constitution by establishing powers to the federal government and people/states of the United States. This amendment was ratified on December 15, 1791. This amendment was also passed by Congress on September 25, 1789. This amendment was written to establish a clear system of who’s going to get what powers; the federal government or the people/states. The Tenth Amendment affects our lives today by allowing the powers to be shared between the federal government and the people of the states.
Amendment 11(XI): This amendment is officially named the Eleventh Amendment. The Eleventh Amendment says the Judicial power of the United States should not be interpreted to extend any suit in law that is against one of the states of the United States by a foreign person in another state. This amendment changed the Constitution by establishing the Judicial power of the United States that says they should not have the power to extend any lawsuit that is against a US citizen from a citizen of a foreign country. This amendment was ratified on February 7, 1795. This amendment was passed by Congress on March 4, 1794. This amendment was written to allow a lawsuit to not be extended for a US citizen from a foreign outsider. The Eleventh Amendment affects our lives today by establishing the Judicial power of the United States that does not allow a lawsuit to be extended from a foreign outsider against a US citizen.
Amendment 12(XII): This amendment is officially named the Twelfth Amendment. The Twelfth Amendment establishes the electoral college and provides for the election for the president and the vice president. This amendment changed the Constitution by establishing that the candidates for President and Vice President must meet requirements that are stated in the Constitution. The Twelfth Amendment was ratified on June 15, 1804. This amendment was passed by Congress on December 9, 1803. This amendment was written to establish the rules for presidential elections and the rules for who can be nominated to be president and vice president. The Twelfth Amendment affects our lives today by establishing presidential elections and their rules for candidates for President and Vice President.
Amendment 2(II): This amendment is officially named the Second Amendment. The Second Amendment says that a strong military is necessary for the security and protection of the states. It also describes that we have the right to keep and bear arms and that this amendment should not be violated by anyone or anything. This amendment changed the Constitution by establishing a well structured military and giving US citizens the right to use guns/weapons in self-defense situations. The Second Amendment was ratified on December 15, 1791. This was also passed by Congress on September 25, 1789. The Second Amendment was written because it gave us a military that knew how to protect US citizens and their rights. The Second Amendment affects our lives today by it being the reason that we have a military that is well generated and it establishing that we have the right to use a gun/weapon for self-defense purposes.
Amendment 3(III): This amendment is officially named the Third Amendment. The Third Amendment says that no soldier should be quartered in times of war and peace. This amendment is protecting our rights to ownership and our use of our property without having to worry about the government intruding in our business. The Third Amendment changed the Constitution by establishing a law that the soldiers will be protected. This amendment was ratified on December 15, 1791. This amendment was also introduced to the United States on September 25, 1789. The Third Amendment was written because it forbids the government from quartering soldiers in houses without the owner's permission. The Third Amendment affects our lives today by it being the reason that we have protection of our military from the government.
Amendment 4(IV): This amendment is officially named the Fourth Amendment. The Fourth Amendment says that the police or a government official cannot search our house for anything a search warrant. This amendment has changed the Constitution by allowing us to our right of privacy by not allowing the government to intrude without a warrant. This amendment was ratified on December 15, 1791. This amendment was passed by Congress on September 25, 1789. The Fourth Amendment was written because it allowed for us to have privacy rights from the Constitution. The Fourth Amendment affects our lives today by it being the reason that we have rights to our privacy from having to worry about the government intruding on our business.
Amendment 5(V): This amendment is officially named the Fifth Amendment. The Fifth Amendment says that we have the right to a lawyer if we are trialed in court and we have the right to not say anything that may incriminate ourselves. This amendment changed the Constitution by allowing us to have a lawyer to represent us in court, if was are on put on trial. It also allows us the right to not say anything that may incriminate ourselves when we are getting arrested. This amendment was ratified on December 15, 1791. This amendment was also passed by Congress on September 25, 1789. This amendment was written to establish a law to allow a criminal to not say anything that could be used against them in court. The Fifth Amendment affects our lives today by it being the reason we are allowed to not say anything to an officer or government official because it may be used against us in court and could lead to the criminal incriminating themselves.
Amendment 6(VI): This amendment is officially named the Sixth Amendment. The Sixth Amendment says that we have the right to a speedy trial, a fair jury, an attorney to represent them in court, and the right to confront the witnesses that put you on trial for that crime. This amendment changed the Constitution by allowing a citizen the right to a fair trial and an attorney to represent you in the court for your case. This Amendment was ratified on December 15, 1791. This amendment was also passed by Congress on September 25, 1789. This amendment was written to establish a clear rule for a criminal who is on trial to a fair jury and trial and an attorney to help you win the case. The Sixth Amendment affects our lives today by it being the reason that we are allowed to an attorney and to a fair jury that doesn’t know either person that is on trial and that is prepared to reach a decision while in court.
Amendment 7(VII): This amendment is officially named the Seventh Amendment. The Seventh Amendment says that citizens have the right to a jury in civil cases. This amendment changed the Constitution by allowing people to have the right to a jury that doesn’t know either the plaintiff or the defendant, so that they won’t be bias in civil cases. This amendment was ratified on December 15, 1791. This amendment was also passed by Congress on September 25, 1789. This amendment was written to establish a clear rule that would allow citizens to the right to a jury that will not be bias in court. The Seventh Amendment affects our lives today by allowing us the right to have a jury in civil cases.
Amendment 8(VIII): This amendment is officially named the Eighth Amendment. The Eighth Amendment says that there should not be an excessive bail in a case or an unusual or cruel punishment within a case. This amendment changed the Constitution by allowing the criminal within a case to not have a cruel punishment or a big amount of money that may be added if that person doesn’t show up to the case. This amendment was ratified on December 15, 1791. This amendment was also passed by Congress on September 25, 1789. This amendment was written so that criminals would have the right to not be served with a cruel punishment or an big amount of money that they are more likely to not be able to pay. This amendment affects our lives today by establishing a clear and reasonable punishment and bail for a person that is on trial.
Amendment 9(IX): This amendment is officially named the Ninth Amendment. The Ninth Amendment says that there are other rights that could exist along with the other rights that have been mentioned, but the rights that have been mentioned and the rights that are to come should not be violated in any way, shape, or form. This amendment changed the Constitution by establishing that the rights for US citizens that have been granted by the Constitution should not be violated in any way. The Ninth Amendment was ratified on December 15, 1791. This amendment was also passed by Congress on September 25, 1789. This amendment was written to establish a clear rule that the rights of citizens should not be violated. The Ninth Amendment affects our lives today by granting us rights and laws that we should abide by and that we should respect and not violate.
Amendment 10(X): This amendment is officially named the Tenth Amendment. The Tenth Amendment says that if there are any powers that are not granted to the federal government, that those powers go to the people or the states. This amendment changed the Constitution by establishing powers to the federal government and people/states of the United States. This amendment was ratified on December 15, 1791. This amendment was also passed by Congress on September 25, 1789. This amendment was written to establish a clear system of who’s going to get what powers; the federal government or the people/states. The Tenth Amendment affects our lives today by allowing the powers to be shared between the federal government and the people of the states.
Amendment 11(XI): This amendment is officially named the Eleventh Amendment. The Eleventh Amendment says the Judicial power of the United States should not be interpreted to extend any suit in law that is against one of the states of the United States by a foreign person in another state. This amendment changed the Constitution by establishing the Judicial power of the United States that says they should not have the power to extend any lawsuit that is against a US citizen from a citizen of a foreign country. This amendment was ratified on February 7, 1795. This amendment was passed by Congress on March 4, 1794. This amendment was written to allow a lawsuit to not be extended for a US citizen from a foreign outsider. The Eleventh Amendment affects our lives today by establishing the Judicial power of the United States that does not allow a lawsuit to be extended from a foreign outsider against a US citizen.
Amendment 12(XII): This amendment is officially named the Twelfth Amendment. The Twelfth Amendment establishes the electoral college and provides for the election for the president and the vice president. This amendment changed the Constitution by establishing that the candidates for President and Vice President must meet requirements that are stated in the Constitution. The Twelfth Amendment was ratified on June 15, 1804. This amendment was passed by Congress on December 9, 1803. This amendment was written to establish the rules for presidential elections and the rules for who can be nominated to be president and vice president. The Twelfth Amendment affects our lives today by establishing presidential elections and their rules for candidates for President and Vice President.