The chart below lists individual rights of Americans. Note: this list is NOT exhaustive.

Select ONE of the rights and corresponding cases from the list below. Follow  the link for case of your choice in the righthand column to learn more  about it. Then find the rest of the instructions under the chart.  

Individual right
(Annotations from Senate.gov website)

Location in Constitution

Real World Case

Establishes religious freedom by prohibiting the establishment of an official or exclusive church or sect.

1st Amendment

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/supreme-court-sides-with-christian-baker-who-denied-cake-to-same-sex-couple (Links to an external site.)

Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission

Free speech and free press are protected, although they can be  limited for reasons of defamation, obscenity, and certain forms of state  censorship, especially during wartime.

1st Amendment

Snyder v. Phelps
Protesting at military funerals (Links to an external site.)  

The freedom of assembly and petition also covers marching, picketing and pamphleteering.

1st Amendment

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/supreme-court-voids-35-foot-abortion-clinic-buffer (Links to an external site.)

McCullen v. Coakley

Protects an individuals’ right to possess firearms unconnected to any service in a militia.

2nd Amendment

https://video.kqed.org/video/supreme-court-enforces-ban-on-straw-purchase-of-guns-1410213834/ (Links to an external site.) 

Abramski v. United States

Applying to arrests and to searches of persons, homes, and other  private places, this amendment requires a warrant, thereby placing a  neutral party between the police and the citizen.

4th Amendment

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/what-the-supreme-courts-cellphone-location-data-ruling-could-mean-for-your-digital-privacy (Links to an external site.) 

Carpenter v. United States

When the government seizes property to use in the public interest, it must pay the owner fair value.

5th Amendment

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/supreme-court-seems-divided-property-rights-dispute (Links to an external site.)

Murr v. Wisconsin

Neither bail nor punishment for a crime are to be unreasonably severe.

8th Amendment

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/law-jan-june05-death_penalty_03-01 (Links to an external site.)

Roper v. Simmons

Establishes that all citizens are entitled to “equal protection of the laws.”    

14th Amendment

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/must-employers-make-special-considerations-pregnant-workers (Links to an external site.) 

Young v. United Parcel Service

INSTRUCTIONS:

Now search for the actual record of this Supreme Court Case at https://www.oyez.org (Links to an external site.) 

1. Find and submit this information:

a. Title of the case

b. Date of the case

c. Petitioner and Respondent

d. The outcome of the case  

e.Do you agree or disagree with the outcome of the case? Explain your answer. 

2. Search Oyez or google/search engine to find another SC case that  also interprets a similar constitutional question. Briefly summarize  that case, and say whether you believe there is a clear precedent  established regarding cases having to do with this right or section of  the Constitution.