Additional Information:
From the Archives of the U.S. government:
The Charters of Freedom - "A NEW WORLD IS AT HAND."
The Federal Convention convened in the State House (Independence Hall) in Philadelphia on May 14, 1787, to revise the Articles of Confederation. Because the delegations from only two states were at first present, the members adjourned from day to day until a quorum of seven states was obtained on May 25. Through discussion and debate it became clear by mid-June that, rather than amend the existing Articles, the Convention would draft an entirely new frame of government. All through the summer, in closed sessions, the delegates debated, and redrafted the articles of the new Constitution. Among the chief points at issue were how much power to allow the central government, how many representatives in Congress to allow each state, and how these representatives should be elected--directly by the people or by the state legislators. The work of many minds, the Constitution stands as a model of cooperative statesmanship and the art of compromise.
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution.html
Amendment focus, abbreviated:
Amendment I-Freedom of Speech
Amendment II-The Right to Keep and Bear Arms
Amendment III-Your Home Sanctity
Amendment IV-Security from Unreasonable Search without Cause
Amendment V-Self Incrimination and Private Property Rights
Amendment VI-Trial by Jury
Amendment VII-Jury Trial in Civil Cases
Amendment VIII-Cruel & Unusual Punishment
Amendment IX-Rights Retained by the People
Amendment X-Powers not Delegated are Reserved for the States
Quotes about FREEDOM from thoughtful and great leaders.
VOLTAIRE
"So long as the people do not care to exercise their freedom, those who wish to tyrannize will do so; for tyrants are active and ardent, and will devote themselves in the name of any number of gods, religious and otherwise, to put shackles upon sleeping men."
THOMAS JEFFERSON
"I have no fear that the result of our experiment will be that men may be trusted to govern themselves without a master."
JOHN ADAMS
"There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty."
JOHN F. KENNEDY
"Liberty without learning is always in peril and learning without liberty is always in vain."
MARK TWAIN
"It is by the goodness of God that in our country we have these three unspeakably precious things:
freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and the prudence to practice neither.
