The Bill of Rights – Exploring Amendments (Part Two)

The first two amendments of the Bill of Rights are probably more heavily discussed than the rest of the amendments combined. However, the final eight amendments are very important, especially in regards to the function of our court systems. Let’s get right into it!

The Third Amendment

“No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.”

This amendment may sound a little strange in our modern world, but for our Founding Fathers this was an extremely important issue. You see, prior to the start of the Revolutionary War, British soldiers had the right to enter the home of any American colonist and treat it like it was their own. Some families were even evicted from their homes, which were turned into permanent barracks for the British Army. The Third Amendment was created to keep this from ever happening again.

The Fourth Amendment

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

The Fourth Amendment protects Americans from illegal or unjust searches and seizures. Basically, it prevents government or law enforcement officials from entering your home and seizing you or your possessions unless they have a warrant. What’s more, the warrant has to specifically describe the item they are seizing, the person they are taking into custody, or the area they will be searching. As with most of the amendments in the Bill of Rights, the Fourth Amendment was created to protect citizens.