Bill of Rights Essay
The Links:
http://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/instructional/resources/LandMarkSupremeCourtCases/index.htm
Date
Assigned: ________________
Date
Due: _______________
Write
an expository essay of 800-900 words on one of the rights ensured by the Bill
of Rights. You may choose one aspect of
the First Amendment such as freedom of the press or freedom of religion. You may also use the Fourteenth Amendment
with its important due process clause. I
will show you a great number of topics.
Pick one of these.
In
the essay using the MLA format, first have an introduction that states the
purpose of the amendment, quotes the amendment directly, and outlines its
general implications in the terms of the rights that it protects. In other
words, introduce the reader to the specific right you will discuss, including
the names of the two Supreme Court cases you will analyze.
In
the next paragraph discuss one Supreme Court case that pertained to the right
and tested the limits of the amendment. Discuss in detail the specific
events/facts of the case and what the Court decided. Give a full summary of the situation using
complete names. What impact did this case have on defining that right? How is
limit or expand the right?
Examine
another court case in the same manner in the next paragraph.
You
must include one expert opinion in your essay.
An expert opinion would be a judge, an author, historian, or a
commentator on the subject. It is not a neighbor or friend, unless that person
is an expert. Use proper citation
required by the MLA Stylesheet. This
citation is included in the body of the essay.
In
your conclusion, summarize the importance of this right.
You
must have a bibliography for this essay (Works Cited) on a separate sheet of
paper. Use the school’s version of the MLA Stylesheet. Three sources –one must be a library book—are
required. The library is an excellent
source for the interpretation of the Supreme Court cases. While online sources are good, the local
library has excellent Bill of Rights resources.
Use them to your advantage. All research must be put into your own words
or “voice”. The essay should be typed.
There
will be one homework assignment in about a week which will ask you to bring in
your research that was done. Be prepared
for this intermediate deadline.
Follow
the rules of good expository writing—do not use; “I”, “you” “our” or “us”. Use the proper nouns instead of these
words. For instance, use the term, the