What Are Civil Liberties?

The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution because ________.

  1. key states refused to ratify the Constitution unless it was added
  2. Alexander Hamilton believed it was necessary
  3. it was part of the Articles of Confederation
  4. it was originally part of the Declaration of Independence

Hint:

A

An example of a right explicitly protected by the Constitution as drafted at the Constitutional Convention is the ________.

  1. right to free speech
  2. right to keep and bear arms
  3. right to a writ of habeas corpus
  4. right not to be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment

The Fourteenth Amendment was critically important for civil liberties because it ________.

  1. guaranteed freed slaves the right to vote
  2. outlawed slavery
  3. helped start the process of selective incorporation of the Bill of Rights
  4. allowed the states to continue to enact black codes

Hint:

C

Briefly explain the difference between civil liberties and civil rights.

Briefly explain the concept of selective incorporation, and why it became necessary.

Hint:

Selective incorporation is the process of expanding the application of the Bill of Rights to also include the states. It became necessary in order to guarantee people’s civil liberties equally across all states.