Amendments 5-8 WebQuest

Investigating the “Criminal Amendments” (5-8) of the Bill of Rights

Amendment 5

https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/fifth_amendment

Use this website to refresh your memory of the text and meaning of the 5^th amendment. In the space below, list the things guaranteed to criminals by the 5^th amendment:

Now, look at the Supreme Court case of Miranda v. Arizona. Fill in the chart below as you explore this landmark case.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/rights/landmark_miranda.html

Amendment 6

http://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendments/

CLICK ON "MENU" AT THE BOTTOM AND SELECT THE 6TH AMENDMENT FROM THE LIST (VI)

Use this website to refresh your memory of the text and meaning of the 6^th amendment. In the space below, list the things guaranteed to criminals by the 6^th amendment:

Now look at the right hand side of the page where a history of the 6^th amendment is outlined. Answer the following based on what you read:

1. At the time of the creation of the Constitution, what did police forces and juries look like?

2. Why did the Founding Fathers want to add the 6^th amendment?

3. How has decisions of the Supreme Court changed the usage/interpretation of the 6^th amendment over the course of time. List 3 of their decisions in the space below:

Now, look at the Supreme Court case of Gideon v. Wainwright, a landmark Supreme Court case dealing with the 6^th amendment. Fill in the chart on the next page as you explore this landmark case.

http://www.uscourts.gov/educational-resources/educational-activities/facts-and-case-summary-gideon-v-wainwright

Amendment 7

Use the following site to help you break down the meaning of the 7^th amendment:

http://kids.laws.com/seventh-amendment

“In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved”

Meaning:

“And no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law”:

Meaning:

How did our right to trial by jury come to be? (Explain the history of this fundamental right in the space below).

Amendment 8

Use the following site to help you break down the meaning of the 8th amendment:

http://www.annenbergclassroom.org/page/eighth-amendment

“Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed”

Meaning:

“nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”

Meaning:

Now check out this website for some controversy that has arisen our court system over the years.

http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/cruelunusual.html

Briefly summarize the facts AND the decision in the following cases involving the 8^th amendment:

Frances v Resweber (1947)

Facts:

Decision:

Ingraham v Wright (1977)

Facts:

Decision:

Harmelin v Michigan (1991):

Facts:

Decision:

Hudson v McMillian (1992)

Facts:

Decision:

Roper v Simmons (2005)

Facts:

Decision: