The Bill of Rights (3/10)

The first ten amendments were adopted to address fears that a strong federal government could become oppressive. They protect speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition; establish rules around search and seizure; guarantee due process; limit cruel and unusual punishment; and reserve unspecified powers to the states and the people. These amendments became the cultural and legal backbone of American civil life, shaping courts, policing, protest, privacy, and public discourse for centuries.
This card is the nation’s promise, written into law: the citizen comes before the state.