Video: The First Ten Rights

Top Ten: The Bill of Rights

Meet the History Kids! They love history and teaching history to other kids.

Today they want to teach you one of their top ten lists…the Bill of Rights. These are the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Wiggle your fingers and let’s use them to help us learn about our rights as Americans.

Amendment 1: Wiggle one finger. Do you see the open mouth? The First Amendment gives us the right to freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press.

Amendment 2: Wiggle two fingers in the shape of a gun. The Second Amendment gives Americans the right to bear arms, which means to have a gun to protect themselves and their families.

Amendment 3: Wiggle three fingers and then put them close together to make a door. The Third Amendment says the government cannot force us to let soldiers stay in our homes.

Amendment 4: Wiggle four fingers and then make a place to hold keys in the middle. The Fourth Amendment is our right to privacy and no unreasonable search of our property.

Amendment 5: Wiggle five fingers and then place them together and down as if swearing on a Bible. The Fifth Amendment gives us the right to a fair trial and we do not have to testify against ourselves.

Amendment 6: Wiggle six fingers and then hold one hand like you have a judge’s gavel in it and your one finger is pointing. The Sixth Amendment gives us the right to a speedy trial.

Amendment 7: Wiggle seven fingers to represent some jurors. The Seventh Amendment gives us the right to a trial by jury.

Amendment 8: Wiggle eight fingers fast and angry. The Eighth Amendment gives us the right to no unreasonable bail, fines, or cruel or unusual punishment.

Amendment 9: Wiggle nine fingers and hold them straight up. Can you read the two words? These fingers say “My rights” because the Ninth Amendment states that Americans have more rights that are not listed.

Amendment 10: Wiggle all ten fingers to represent all of the people. The Tenth Amendment states that powers not given to the U.S. government in the Constitution belong to the states or the people. That means you and me!

Wow! Those are ten very important rights. James Madison wrote these, and the Congress passed them as the Bill of Rights to protect everyone in our country.

Clap for your fingers. Come on: Give them a hand.

The Bill of Rights give us many rights as citizens of the United States of America!