Jonah Patel
Civil liberties are freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution to protect individuals from tyranny. Civil liberties are typically freedoms that are explicitly guaranteed by the Bill of Rights and the U.S. Constitution or have been interpreted and inferred by legislatures or the courts. They offer protection from federal or state government action. Civil liberties violations occur when a government agency, agent, or actor overreaches or oversteps their authority, acting in an intrusive manner and violating the rights of individuals or communities.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Freedom of speech | First Amendment |
| Freedom of religion | First Amendment |
| Freedom of the press | First Amendment |
| Right of peaceful assembly | First Amendment |
| Right of petition | First Amendment |
| Right to vote | Fifteenth Amendment, Seventeenth Amendment, Nineteenth Amendment, Twenty-Fourth Amendment, Twenty-Sixth Amendment |
| Right to remain silent | |
| Right to a fair court trial | |
| Right to privacy | |
| Right to a writ of habeas corpus | Article III, Section 2 |
| Right to trial by jury in criminal cases | Article III, Section 2 |
| Right to be free from bills of attainder | Article I, Section 9 |
| Right to be free from ex post facto laws | Article I, Section 9 |
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What You'll Learn
The right to freedom of speech
Civil liberties are freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution to protect citizens from tyranny. Civil rights, in contrast, are the legal rights detailed in federal laws and statutes that protect citizens from discrimination. Civil liberties are typically included in the Bill of Rights, which was added to the Constitution in 1791.
Overall, the right to freedom of speech is a fundamental civil liberty that is essential to a democratic society. While it is not absolute, it is protected by the First Amendment and has been interpreted and expanded by the Supreme Court to ensure that citizens have the ability to express themselves freely and participate fully in the political process.
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The right to vote
Civil liberties are freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution to protect citizens from tyranny. The right to vote is a key civil liberty. The right to vote is protected by the Fifteenth, Seventeenth, Nineteenth, Twenty-Fourth and Twenty-Sixth Amendments. The right to vote is a fundamental aspect of democracy, ensuring that citizens have a say in the political process and can hold their leaders accountable. It is a basic civil liberty that gives individuals a voice in the government and helps to protect against the overreaching powers of the state.
The Fifteenth Amendment prohibits the denial of the right to vote based on race, colour or previous condition of servitude. This amendment was passed in 1870 to protect the voting rights of African Americans following the Civil War. The Seventeenth Amendment, ratified in 1913, provides for the direct election of Senators by the people, rather than by state legislatures. The Nineteenth Amendment, ratified in 1920, guarantees the right of women to vote, ending a long history of gender discrimination in voting rights.
The Twenty-Fourth Amendment, ratified in 1964, prohibits the use of poll taxes as a voting qualification in federal elections. This amendment was a significant step in ensuring that economic status did not prevent citizens from exercising their right to vote. The Twenty-Sixth Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, recognising the importance of youth participation in the democratic process.
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The right to a fair court trial
In addition to the right to a fair court trial, other civil liberties guaranteed by the Constitution include the right to freedom of speech, religion, and the press, as well as the right to peaceful assembly and petition. These rights are outlined in the First Amendment and are considered fundamental to the American way of life.
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The right to remain silent
The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that no person "shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself." This amendment forms the basis for the right to remain silent and protects individuals from being forced to give self-incriminating testimony. It ensures that individuals have the right to choose whether to speak or remain silent during police questioning, and that their silence cannot be used as evidence of guilt in a criminal trial.
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The right to privacy
Civil liberties are freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution to protect citizens from tyranny. The U.S. Constitution, and more specifically the Bill of Rights, has protections “built in” to protect Americans from the overreaching powers of government. Civil liberties typically include basic rights and freedoms that are guaranteed by law (either explicitly identified in law or in the U.S. Constitution). These are freedoms that give individuals limited protection from the government.
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Frequently asked questions
Civil liberties are freedoms guaranteed to you by the Constitution to protect you from tyranny.
Civil liberties include the right to freedom of speech, the right to a fair court trial, the right to vote, and the right to privacy.
The Constitution's First Amendment guarantees the rights of conscience, such as freedom of religion, speech, and the press. The Constitution also includes the right to peaceful assembly and petition, and the right to trial by jury in criminal cases.
Civil liberties concern basic rights and freedoms that are explicitly guaranteed by the Bill of Rights and the U.S. Constitution or have been interpreted and inferred by legislatures or the courts. Civil rights, in contrast, are the legal rights detailed in federal laws and statutes that protect you from discrimination.
