ABSTRACT
This chapter explains why Americans believe that an explicit Bill of Rights is necessary to preserve their basic rights and liberties. The guarantees contained in the Bill of Rights are the basic building blocks of democracy. The chapter describes the civil rights guaranteed to Americans, particularly the right to equal protection under the law, and to assess the "nationalization" of rights throughout United States history. Civil rights protect a person's freedom to do something regardless of race, creed, gender, sexual orientation, age, or physical disability. Civil liberties are protections against unwarranted intrusion by government or others in how people live their private lives or how they act in public. The First Amendment guarantees four essential civil liberties: freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and freedom to petition government. The chapter also describes the civil liberties guaranteed to Americans, particularly freedoms of religion and expression, the rights of individuals accused of crimes, and the right to private property.
