Constitutional Principle
Individual Rights
Excerpt From The Constitution
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
This is the First Amendment of the Constitution, part of the the Bill of Rights. It essentially establishes that you have the freedom of religion. speech, press, assemble, and petition.
Important Philosopher and Document
Individual Rights relates to the ideas of the famous philosopher John Locke. His thoughts on natural rights: the right to life, liberty. and the pursuit of property. The Constitution changed the idea into the right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 also established individual rights of people.
Significance
The reason the Founding Fathers included The Bill Of Rights was because one of the main reasons Anti-Federalists had against ratification was that they were worried that there rights would be violated. Once the Founding Fathers added the Bill of rights, Anti-Federalists eventually allowed ratification of the Constitution. Without the Bill of Rights, the Constitution would not have been ratified. It established all the rights of a citizen.
A 3-minute guide to the Bill of Rights - Belinda Stutzman
Above Video 00: 35-3:00
The Bill of Rights states the individual rights of citizens. For example, the right to bear arms.
Individual rights in The Constitution borrow ideas from John Locke. His ideas of natural rights were embedded in the Constitution.
In the Bill of Rights, it states that one of your individual rights is the freedom of religion.