What are the basic civil liberty protections in the Constitution?

Asked by: Nora Rau II  |  Last update: June 19, 2025
Score: 5/5 (59 votes)

Our country's Constitution and federal laws contain critical protections that form the foundation of our inclusive society – the right to be free from discrimination, the freedom to worship as we choose, the right to vote for our elected representatives, the protections of due process, the right to privacy.

What are the civil liberties protected by the Constitution?

Your First Amendment right - freedom of speech, association and assembly; freedom of the press, and freedom of religion. Your Second Amendment - right to keep and bear arms. Your Fourth Amendment - right to privacy - freedom from unwarranted government intrusion into your personal and private affairs.

What are the 10 civil rights?

Examples of civil rights include the right to vote, the right to a fair trial, the right to government services, the right to a public education, the right to gainful employment, the right to housing, the right to use public facilities, freedom of religion.

What are the 5 basic civil liberties in the First Amendment?

The five freedoms it protects: speech, religion, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government.

What are the five civil liberties that the Constitution guarantees?

Identify the five civil liberties that the Constitution guarantees.
  • Freedom of Religion.
  • Freedom of Speech.
  • Freedom of Press.
  • Freedom of Assembly.
  • Freedom of Petition.

Civil Rights & Liberties: Crash Course Government & Politics #23

18 related questions found

What protects your 5 basic liberties?

The First Amendment protects some of our most cherished rights, including religious liberty, free speech, a free press, the right to assemble, and the right to petition our government for a redress of grievances.

What civil rights are guaranteed by the Constitution?

First Amendment: freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of assembly. Second Amendment: the right of the people to keep and bear arms. Third Amendment: restricts housing soldiers in private homes. Fourth Amendment: protects against unreasonable search and seizure.

What are the 5 freedoms of the 1st Amendment freedom of?

First Amendment - Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, and Petition. Constitution Center.

What are the 5th Amendment civil liberties?

The Fifth Amendment also protects criminal defendants from having to testify if they may incriminate themselves through the testimony. A witness may " plead the Fifth" and not answer if the witness believes answering the question may be self-incriminatory.

What does the 12th Amendment prevent?

The Twelfth Amendment stipulates that each elector must cast distinct votes for president and vice president, instead of two votes for president.

What is the difference between a civil right and a civil liberty?

Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

For example, the right to vote is a civil right. A civil liberty, on the other hand, refers to personal freedoms protected from government intrusion such as those listed in the Bill of Rights.

What are the four main points of the 14th Amendment?

14th Amendment - Citizenship Rights, Equal Protection, Apportionment, Civil War Debt. Constitution Center.

What are the 5 main civil rights?

Our country's Constitution and federal laws contain critical protections that form the foundation of our inclusive society – the right to be free from discrimination, the freedom to worship as we choose, the right to vote for our elected representatives, the protections of due process, the right to privacy.

What are the first 10 amendments?

Ratified December 15, 1791.
  • Amendment I. Freedoms, Petitions, Assembly. ...
  • Amendment II. Right to bear arms. ...
  • Amendment III. Quartering of soldiers. ...
  • Amendment IV. Search and arrest. ...
  • Amendment V. Rights in criminal cases. ...
  • Amendment VI. Right to a fair trial. ...
  • Amendment VII. Rights in civil cases. ...
  • Amendment VIII. Bail, fines, punishment.

How do I know if my civil rights have been violated?

Common Civil Rights Violations

If you've been denied a job, housing, or public services because of your race, religion, national origin, gender, disability, or other protected attribute, your civil rights may have been violated. Things like harassment or unequal treatment based on these traits are also against the law.

What does the 14th Amendment say about insurrection?

It banned those who “engaged in insurrection” against the United States from holding any civil, military, or elected office without the approval of two-thirds of the House and Senate.

What does the 6th Amendment protect?

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be ...

Can I refuse to be a witness in a civil case?

The testimony would incriminate yourself – Under the Fifth Amendment in the Constitution, you have the right to avoid giving any evidence that could self-incriminate you. In most cases, you can plead the Fifth Amendment, which legally allows you to refuse answering questions.

What is the 7th Amendment in simple terms?

Amendment Seven to the Constitution was ratified on December 15, 1791. It protects the right for citizens to have a jury trial in federal courts with civil cases where the claim exceeds a certain dollar value. It also prohibits judges in these trials from overruling facts revealed by the jury.

What does the First Amendment not protect?

The categories of unprotected speech include obscenity, child pornography, defamatory speech, false advertising, true threats, and fighting words.

What does the 2nd Amendment protect?

Constitutional Amendments – Amendment 2 – “The Right to Keep and Bear Arms” Amendment Two to the Constitution was ratified on December 15, 1791. It protects the right for Americans to possess weapons for the protection of themselves, their rights, and their property.

What is our 13th Amendment?

The 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution provides 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, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."

What's the difference between civil rights and civil liberties?

Civil liberties are freedoms guaranteed to you by the Constitution to protect you from tyranny. One key civil liberty, for example, is the First Amendment right to freedom of speech. Civil rights, in contrast, are the legal rights detailed in federal laws and statutes that protect you from discrimination.

What rights are not protected by the Constitution?

The Supreme Court has found that unenumerated rights include such important rights as the right to travel, the right to vote, and the right to keep personal matters private.

What private blank Cannot be taken for?

The Fifth Amendment to the Constitution provides that private property shall not be taken for public use without just compensation.