what are the formal rights guaranteed to us as american citizens?
913674
The Bill of Rights--the first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States--ranks alongside the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence as one of the nation's most treasured documents. Since its adoption in 1791, the Bill of Rights has served as the cornerstone of basic American freedoms. Its laws specify the fundamental rights and most cherished liberties of the American people and protect them from the whims of popular majority opinions and abusive government officials.\nWhat the Bill of Rights Says\n\nThe first eight amendments of the Bill of Rights set forth specific guarantees and liberties. The Ninth Amendment acknowledges that the American people have rights that are not even specified in the Constitution or the Bill of Rights. (The Federalists argued for this particular amendment, stating that it would be impossible to list all of the rights and liberties that should be protected.)\n\nThe Tenth Amendment emphasizes the national character of the United States constitutional system. It declares that the states or people retain those "powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution."\n\nMost people, however, believe that their most important rights are those guaranteed by the First Amendment. Commonly called "First Amendment freedoms," these are the fundamental freedoms of religion, speech, and press, as well as the right of the people to assemble and to petition a government.\n\nOther vital provisions contained in the first eight amendments also deal with the rights of individuals. They are designed to protect people against inconsistent or abusive government, particularly in criminal proceedings.\n\nFor example, the Fourth Amendment protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures (either of themselves or of their property and possessions) by law enforcement officials.\n\nThe Fifth Amendment prohibits double jeopardy, which means that someone cannot be tried twice for the same crime. The Fifth Amendment also states that people cannot be compelled to testify against themselves (self-incrimination), and it guarantees "due process," which means people accused of a crime must be properly notified of the charges and given a fair hearing.\n\nThe Sixth Amendment establishes the right of an accused person to a public trial by jury. The accused also has the right to have a lawyer, to confront hostile witnesses, and to obtain witnesses in his or her defense.\n\nFinally, the Eighth Amendment prohibits the infliction of "cruel and unusual punishments" (either mental or physical) on those convicted of a crime.\n\nThe remaining amendments (the Second, Third, and Seventh) do not cover individual rights in criminal proceedings but address other specific concerns. The Second Amendment is the most noteworthy and controversial of these remaining amendments. After noting the need for a "well regulated militia" (a body of citizen soldiers called to serve during times of emergency or war), this amendment declares that the people's right "…to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."\n\nThe Third Amendment prevents the government from making citizens shelter soldiers in their homes. This amendment was drafted in response to abuses by British forces during the Revolutionary War.\n\nThe Seventh Amendment was included to meet the demands of many Anti-Federalists who wanted to insure trial by jury in civil suits.\n\nToday, for all intents and purposes, the fundamental rights and liberties guaranteed by the Bill of Rights apply with equal force to both the national and the state governments.\n\nState Bills of Rights\n\nAll of the fifty state constitutions contain a bill of rights. The Illinois Bill of Rights borrows from the Declaration of Independence in stating, "All men are by nature free and independent and have certain inherent and unalienable rights among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Some
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The right to freedom to practice your religion.  You can practice any religion you like, as long as you are not a Muslim.  (Recent news article showed that a person suspected of terrorism was set a parole so that he could not travel more than 1 mile from home - therefore could not go to mosque).\n\nA right to speedy trial by jury and to face your accusers. (How many terror suspects do the American currently have in a certain prison, who have not - so far - been allowed the usual legal right that everybody else takes for granted?)\n\nWho recons you haven't given up any rights or freedoms?  How long before another, equally vallid reason is found to segregate another part of our society?  How long before we can no longer enjoy the freedoms and rights that we are supposed to fight for?
454103
Common misunderstanding, but laudable that you are asking, because it is theonly way we can become self-governed again. \n\nThe U.S. Constitution only grants one right. The fist 10 Amendments, added twelve years later, are called "The Bill of Rights," and are probably what you're thinking of.\n\nA "right" is something granted by law, something you can take to court and win. A privilege, can be taken away at any time at the whim of those few in power.\n\nLike someone in the military has almost no rights. But they have lots of privileges. An underage child has no rights, but has privileges. \n\nThe one test to find out if you have a right, e.g., the case of a child, is to find out if this person or entity can sue or be sued. If not, then there are no rights. \n\nRead the Constitution on my web site listed below, then read the explanation of the Amendments. You'll find that the one main reason for the Constitution was to set up a Federal Gov't, and at the same time, limit their power. Their greatest fear was that the Fed would become more powerful than a State, and rule the States from afar and dictate their laws, and invade our states at will. But of course, that has happened anyway hasn't it, because nobody is policing the police (the Fed) or enforcing the Constitution.\n\nThey tried to weaken the Fed by breaking them up into 3 branches; Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary. If those three ever came together, we would have a totalitarian dictatorship, similar to a King ruling us dictating our every move. For examply, only Congress can pass new law, which represents each State. But the President (Executive) decrees new laws every day by executive order. The courts (Judicial Branch) interpret and change laws every day. So the inevitible has happened; all three branches are acting as one, and nobody seems to care.
95298
I am a real American, what do you want?
90263
To become a naturalized citizen of the United States of America, the following oath is required.\n\nNaturalization Oath of Allegiance\nto the United States of America\n\nOath:\n\n"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the armed forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."
289870
as in we have a right to live in peace, without fear of being killed, harmed , toutured or imprisonet aginast our will, ot have our civil liberties violated .ect... who guanrantees it?\nwe do\nmy role in your right\nnoly to defend it if need be, otherwise you are free to puruse your life as you see fit
782775
The only prerequisite that you have to meet is to be a born or naturalized citizen. Other than that, there are MANY ways to be a "true American".
579573
Being a citizen means you are not a temporary immigrant, visitor, or slave, and you have all the rights therein.
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Naturalization is the process by which U.S. citizenship is conferred upon a foreign citizen or national after he or she fulfills the requirements established by Congress in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The general requirements for administrative naturalization include:\n\n    * a period of continuous residence and physical presence in the United States;\n    * residence in a particular USCIS District prior to filing;\n    * an ability to read, write, and speak English;\n    * a knowledge and understanding of U.S. history and government;\n    * good moral character;\n    * attachment to the principles of the U.S. Constitution; and,\n    * favorable disposition toward the United States.
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These are some of your rights if that is what you mean\n\n1.The First Amendment guarantees the freedom of worship, of speech, of the press, of assembly, and of petition to the government for redress of grievances.\n2.The right to bear arms openly–adopted with reference to state militias–is guaranteed by the Second Amendment\n3.The Fifth Amendment provides that no person shall be held for "a capital or otherwise infamous crime" without indictment, be twice put in "jeopardy of life or limb" for the same offense, be compelled to testify against himself, or "be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law."\n4.The Sixth Amendment guarantees the right of speedy and public trial by an impartial jury\n5.Seventh Amendment guarantees the right of trial by jury\n6.The Ninth Amendment states that "The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."\n7.By the Tenth Amendment "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
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It is to briefly explain what Americans were fighting for and what they expected in the shaping of a better America, so that issues concerning everything around us, could be properly managed for "WE the people of the United States in order to form a more perfect union and establish justice to ensure domestic tranquility and provide for the common defense promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our prosperity do ordain  to establish this Constitution for the United States of America.\nEach of the points stated in the preamble signfy what we as Americans stand for and believe in.
119926
The best is to become a citizen.
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Well, if you read the text of most (most) of the protections guaranteed by the US Constitution, it says "no person"  rather than "no citizen".... which kind of begs the question how some conservative strict constructionalists can argue that "person" really only means "citizen"...\n\nBut I've heard a lot of people say that they don't think non-US citizens should have rights. What's even more frightening is that a lot of people I've talked to think that even US citizens shouldn't have any constitutional protections if they are SUSPECTED of being involved in terrorist activities. The whole "innocent until proven guilty" concept is totally out of the window. At least, according to the Bush administration's current policies (see US v. Padilla).\n\nI'm just stocking up on popcorn (and canned goods) and waiting for the fireworks to start.
970875
I'd start with a compelling quote from the Declaration of Independence.  I'd describe the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.  You might want to include some statistics from the Census Bureau and maybe figure out how many people living in the US are citizens.  The links below may get you started.\n-MM
101705
Are you legally in the United States of America?
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Legal immigrants are allowed to have MOST of teh rights to which citizens are entitled.  In general, this includes ownership of property, and  the right to keep and bear arms.
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Illegal immigrants -- or legal foreign tourists for that matter -- get Constitutional guarantees (Bill of Rights) like anyone else in the USA -- unless Pres. George W. Bush has designated them "enemy combatants".\n\nThey do not get very many "benefits" of financial value, except emergency health care (mainly: traffic accidents and childbirth). Their children born in the USA are US citizens, and the US Supeme Court held, particuarly with respect to education -- free schooling -- that they cannot be denied benefits based on their parents' status. Which makes sense apart from the Constitutional issue because it would mean raising a generation of illiterate citizens!\n\nParents of babies born in the USA get no benefit (other than as above) from that fact -- they can be and are deported. In one case (you can Google "Myrna Dick") a judge held that a woman alleged to be in the US illegally (she had been brought to the USA from Mexico at age 9 and married an American and was pregnant) could not be deported until after her baby was born. A good -- but charitable -- holding I think; difficult to justify on the grounds given (that the "fetus" is American). But it delighted some anti-abortion activists.