Learning Objectives

  1. Define rights and liberties and their role in a democratic society.
  2. Explain how the Bill of Rights relates to the federal government and to the states.
  3. Describe how the First Amendment protects both church and state, as well as individuals’ religious freedom.
  4. Explain the value of freedom of expression and how its protections have been tested.
  5. Give examples of different interpretations of the Second Amendment’s meaning.
  6. Describe the protections afforded criminal defendants under the Constitution.
  7. Discuss the extent of an individual’s right to privacy.
  8. Compare the idea of civil rights with that of civil obligations.