Congratulations to seventh grader Olen Thompson for being a runner up in the Herzog Foundation's national Bill of Rights Essay contest for middle schoolers. Thompson wrote the essay as a joint assignment for his English and Civics classes. Students were encouraged to submit their essays to the contest. Olen received a $150 prize for being a runner up in the contest with more than 300 submissions. Click on the link at the bottom of the essay to learn more about the contest and to see the Foundation's announcement.
by Olen Thompson
What made the Bill of Rights revolutionary and unique at the time of its ratification? How has it shaped the United States and its Citizens over the years?
Imagine you have no freedoms or rights. Imagine you can’t go to church, own a gun, have an opinion, own property, or have fair trials. This was what it was like before the Bill of Rights. Let me explain how the Bill of Rights guarantees and safeguards our freedoms so that no government can take those rights away!
A long time ago, in the mid-late 1700s, our country did not have the same freedoms it now has. When the Bill of Rights was created, its creators wanted to protect us, from the government and foreign countries. The Constitution was already in place, but America wanted to secure further freedoms and rights for the people permanently. Our country was founded on the idea that all people have inalienable rights given to them by their creator. Still today we exercise these freedoms such as posting on social media, practicing our religion, voting, and petitioning our government. Our Constitution dictated how our country would be run, but the Bill of Rights secured our rights and freedoms. The Bill of Rights ensured that no authority, foreign or domestic, could easily take them away. These rights continue to be the backbone of our system of government, shaping our way of life and our country. Psalm 82:3 says, "Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute." The Bill of Rights follows these principles in that it provides justice for us, recovering from war, a new nation.
On December 15, 1791, James Madison drafted the Bill of Rights and sent it to the states for ratification. There was nothing like it in the world. It was unheard of. No one understood how all these freedoms could be enacted, while still giving the government complete control. But, James Madison thought otherwise. He believed that the people should control their government and that all people should have basic rights. Being greatly influenced by John Locke’s ideas about natural law and the Bible, he created the Bill of Rights.
At the time, the closest thing to the Bill of Rights was the Magna Carta, created in 1215, which was made to limit the power of the English Monarch, but did not give individual freedoms and rights as the Bill of Rights does, proving its revolutionary ideas and power. Another document similar to the Bill of Rights was The Petition of Right in 1628, which ensured the King (or Queen) had to operate under Parliament, but it still did not give individual rights and freedoms to the people.
Montesquieu was a French philosopher who was born on January 18, 1689, and he also greatly influenced the Bill of Rights. In his book, The Spirit of Laws, he expressed the idea of multiple branches of government to ensure that no one branch has overarching power. History has shown that only Biblically-based nations succeed for long. Psalm 33:12 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.”
The Bill of Rights was unique to America, even at the time of its ratification when America was a recovering nation, ravaged by the Revolutionary War. It was unique because of its idea that a government should protect and serve its citizens, rather than rule them. The Bill of Rights is like a shield, protecting us from unfair treatment and our own government. We cannot forget that the Bill of Rights was enacted by a country wanting to limit their government’s power for the sake of its people! The Bill of Rights gives us the ability to express personal opinions, proprietorship, assets, and property. Think of the millions of people flooding our border seeking these same rights because in their country they have none.
Because of the many different influences on the Bill of Rights at its creation, these ideas continue to influence and shape us every day. We have a general acceptance of the axiom of natural law espoused by John Locke. Natural law is the idea that everyone has basic morals inbuilt [conscience], and that we all should have basic rights granted by our creator. When John Locke was creating this, natural law was revolutionary and unique, influencing the Bill of Rights’ revolutionary power. Great Britain’s political structure was the standard.
The Bill of Rights has shaped and enlightened our nation in many ways. We have grown accustomed to the ideas of freedoms and are willing to fight for them. The history of the United States is remarkable and phenomenal. Those who wish to leave our country are crazy and irrational. Without the Bill of Rights, maybe they would have valid points, but with all of the freedoms we have with the Bill of Rights, we are arguably the greatest nation. Without the Bill of Rights, we would not have trials, meaning we could be wrongfully accused and thrown in jail for no reason. We would also have no freedoms of expression, no right to carry a gun, etc. Without these freedoms, we could not function. We have no idea what it's like in a 3rd world nation. In the court case, Gideon vs. Wainwright, the 6th Amendment was violated. Gideon was charged with breaking and entering. Gideon was an indigent defendant, meaning he could not afford a lawyer. The Supreme Court ruled that everyone, even those who couldn’t afford a lawyer, deserve the right to a fair trial and lawyer. Now, Gideon did commit a crime, but he still had the right to a lawyer and without the 6th Amendment he would have gone to jail, criminal or not, because he couldn’t afford a lawyer.
Another case is Masterpiece Cake Shop vs. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. The owner of Masterpiece cake shop refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. He claimed it violated his religious rights because if he made the cake it would contradict his religious beliefs on same-sex marriage. The case ruled in his favor. Without freedom of religion, he would be in jail!
The Bill of Rights has also helped create many laws! For example, on Amendment 2, each state decided its own law on guns based on the Bill of Rights. Florida’s interpretation of the 2nd amendment states that you no longer need a permit for concealed carry. In California, you do need a permit for concealed carry.
This document is not a dead document but rather alive and flourishing! We use this 230+ year-old document daily to create new laws, exercise our freedoms, express our opinions, practice our religion, and much more! This is one of the most important documents, not just in American history, but in all of history because it sets an example of freedom. It is one of the most unique documents ever created. It was revolutionary, then and now, shaping us and our country in various ways, even today!
When the Bill of Rights was created, it was made to give its citizens no fear of their government or losing their rights. In conclusion, the Bill of Rights was designed to protect us and help our country flourish! But sadly, we are drifting away from our roots very quickly. Our country no longer values the same principles it did at its creation. Issues like abortion, same-sex marriage, and antisemitism rampage our country, dividing its citizens. Without the Bible, our country will slowly fall apart. Unless we return to our roots, the Biblically-based ideas about natural law, and a democratic government, our country will be devastated. But, we must remember that this is a free and fair nation, and we cannot take anyone’s rights away. That is what made the Bill of Rights revolutionary and influential.