Includes bibliographical references and index.

The Bill of Rights: the basics -- The many rights of the First Amendment -- The Second Amendment: bearing arms -- The Third Amendment: housing of soldiers -- The Fourth Amendment: search and seizure -- The Fifth Amendment: criminal cases -- The Sixth Amendment: a fair trial -- The Seventh and Eighth Amendments -- The Ninth and Tenth Amendments.

"The Bill of Rights -- the first 10 amendments to the US Constitution -- is an exceptionally important part of this essential document. Not only does the Bill of Rights guarantee individual liberties and place limits on government powers, but without the addition of the Bill of Rights, the Constitution itself might never have been approved. This absorbing volume discusses the Bill of Rights and how it came to be, the language of each amendment, how amendments have been interpreted, and the controversies surrounding some amendments. Photo captions, sidebars, fact boxes, and graphic organizers enrich the main text"-- Provided by publisher.