Crystal Ortiz
4/18/2015
Discussion: Why was the first and second amendment not included in the first writing
of the bill of rights and the history of it?
What laws and cases forced it to be re written?
The importance of the amendments is a question that many Americans come
across in their life, but as quickly as this thought comes, it quickly leaves because how
used our own personal freedom each one of us it.The bill of rights is the collective name
given to the first ten amendments to the United States constitution. The ten
amendments guarantee personal rights of United States citizens, besides limiting the
powers in judicial proceedings and reserving certain powers to the state and the public.
The 1st amendment widely considered to be the most important in the bill of rights
protects the fundamental right of conscience which entails the freedoms to believe and
express different ideas in a variety of ways. Under this amendment lie the crucial
freedoms to religious freedom, speech, and press freedom from government coercion
among others. The 2nd amendment links the right to bear arms and the security of a free
state. This right includes bearing of arms among the rights of the people and not just to
state and military officers. The ten amendments to the constitution included in the bill of
rights were proposed and included as part of the constitution to assuage the prevailing
fears about a dictatorial states held by the anti-federalists who had opposed the
ratification of the constitution.
The initial ten amendments of the constitution of United States constituted the bill
of rights. They were put forward by James Madison in reacting to different call by
various states to protect human freedom and the bills limited government powers which
were seen as interfering with the individual’s liberty. The first amendment was about
religion and expression while the second amendment relates to the bearing of arms (Bill
of Rights Institute, 2015).
The first and second amendments were not included in the first writing of the bill
of rights but were later include after much debate. The concern with the first amendment
revolved around separation of state and religion. Before the ratification and adoption of
this amendment into the bill of rights, the state required all office holders to declare their
belief in the old and new testaments. The public was also expected to pay levies to
maintain the clergymen in some states like Virginia. Opponents of the fist amendment
felt that the introduction of freedom of religion and press among others was wrong for
the country and wanted the old ways of worship should prevail. Federalists on the other
hand, led by the likes of Washington and Thomas Jefferson felt that no man should be
forced to confess to religion that was not of their choice. Further press freedom was
considered too much for the young Nation and there were fears that enemies of the
