Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are 18 years of age or older, to vote, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of age. Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. Amendment XXVII (1992) (27) No law varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives shall take effect until an election of Representatives shall have intervened. Summary of the Bill Of Rights The United States Constitution has 27 Amendments. The first 10 Amendments to the U.S. Constitution are called the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights was ratified, or approved, in 1791. It outlines the basic rights and freedoms of American citizens. A summary of the first ten amendments follows. Amendment 1 - The First Amendment protects the rights of every American. It defines the freedoms of religion, speech, and press. Most Americans believe that the First Amendment guarantees their most important rights. Amendment 2 - The Second Amendment guarantees Americans the to bear arms, or own guns. Amendment 3 - The Amendment prevents the government from forcing citizens to shelter soldiers in their homes. Amendment 4 - The Fourth Amendment protects the privacy of American citizens. It prohibits, or prevents, unnecessary or unreasonable searches of a person's property. Amendment 5 - In the Fifth Amendment, all Americans are guaranteed the right to a fair and legal trial. It also protects someone from testifying against him- or herself under oath. Amendment 6 - A to a speedy trial is guaranteed in the Sixth Amendment.
Distribute copies of the reading entitled, “The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution” (provided). Read the section, Purpose of the Lesson, and consider the objectives of the lesson. Ask students to then read the section, What Do You Think the Purpose of Government Should Be? Working with a partner, students should read the three questions and discuss possible answers. They should be encouraged to examine their own experiences and to form reasoned opinions. Have several pairs share their responses with the class. Have students read the final section, What Does the Preamble Say? Ask them why the first words of the Preamble are so important. Emphasize to the students that in our country, the power of government belongs to the people. Pass out copies of the assignment entitled, “Problem-Solving Activity” (provided). Organize the class into six groups and assign each group one of the phrases from the Preamble. Follow the directions on the problem-solving activity. Allow students to use references including dictionaries, encyclopedias, textbooks, and online resources to help them in answering the three questions on the assignment. Ask each to make a brief presentation to the class on the phrase in the Preamble they studied. OPTIONAL: You may wish to have each develop a skit that portrays its assigned phrase. Each group should present its skit and the rest of the class should guess which phrase of the Preamble is being portrayed. Each group should present its skit before it discusses its answers to the questions in the activity. AND/OR Each group may draw a picture depicting the phrase of the Preamble that is being represented. The rest of the class should guess which phrase of the
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) as amended - prohibits discrimination on the basis of age with respect to individuals who are at least 40. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 as amended - prohibits gender discrimination in payment of wages to women and men performing substantially equal work in the same establishment. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 - prohibits discrimination against the disabled. Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) - prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in employment, public service, public accommodations and telecommunications. The Family and Medical Act of 1993 (FMLA) - requires covered employers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to "eligible" employees for certain family and medical reasons. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 - prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. Florida Educational Equity Act (FEEA) - prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, gender, national origin, marital status, or handicap against a student or employee. Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992 - secures for all individuals within the state freedom from discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap, or marital status. Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) - Prohibits discrimination against employees or applicants because of genetic information. Veterans are provided re-employment rights in accordance with P.L. 93-508 (Federal Law) and Section 295.07 (Florida Statutes), stipulate categorical preferences for employment. In Addition:School Policies 1362, 3362, 4362, and 5517 - Prohibit harassment and/or discrimination against students, employees, or applicants on the basis of sex, race, color, ethnic or national origin, religion, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender, gender identification, social and family background, linguistic preference, pregnancy, and any other legally prohibited basis. Retaliation for engaging in a protected activity is also prohibited. Rev. (05-12)