Just words on paper 
 

Introduction  ● People considered these “civil liberties” something of value to ALL people 
   
Problem 1 - It didn’t have any mechanical enforcements 
Early problems with the  ○ Details - No one had a clue on what the exact language was used 
bill of rights  on the document 
What problems were there?  ○ Details - there are no moves to have it in the presence of the 
  courts 
  Problem 2 - Only applied to the federal government  
○ Details - Would never apply to states but did violate civil liberties  
 
○ Details - never applied to police who continued their brutal acts 
  Problem 3 - Didn’t apply all people but only ​some 
  ○ Details - Most of the bill of rights are applied to the federal 
  government 
  ○ Details - 170 years it took to ​guaranteeing citizens  
Civil liberties deprived   
Founders’ fear: What were they afraid of? 
because of fear 
● Details- the possibility of France attacking the U.S 
What were they afraid of?  ● Details- the armies of Europe deciding to attack 
What did they do?  John Adams: What did he do? 
What are the acts?  ● Details- he decided to not pay attention to the first amendment's 
  commands 
  ● Details- he decreased the freedom of speeches 
  Thomas Jefferson: What did he do before and after he was president? 
  ● Details- he informed his countrymen about something 
  ● Details- He wrote something against the legislation 
  Alien and Sedition Acts: 
  ● Details- The sedition act is if anyone writes something false, hated etc, the 
  president or congress can go to jail, or be fined $2k 
  ● Details- Thomas had freed some people under the sedition act 
  ● “Aliens”; or noncitizens were supposed to be under the protection of the 
  sedition act.  
   
Elizabeth Mumbet Freeman: Who was she and what did she do? 
Freedom of speech as a 
● she was an enslaved woman whose husband had died during the war 
weapon against slavery  ● she read the Mass. Constitution and learned the declaration of 
  independance 
  ● With her lawyer Theodore Sedgwick, she went to court and had her 
  freedom 
  Anti-Slavery and the Women’s Rights Movement: What was the first 
  amendment used to fight for? List some examples. 
  ● 1783 - Massachusetts became the first newly independent state to 
  completely end slavery 
  ● 1830 - All Northern states ended slavery as well 
  ● First Amendment was used to fight for:  
  ○ Racial equality 
  ○ End slavery in the south 
  ○ Political and social rights for women 
   ● Massachusetts - African Americans used boycotts and court cases to end 
  the segregation going on in the schools and transportation 
  ● Anti-slavery organizing in Boston, Philadelphia, and New York 
  ● Grimke sisters, Lydia Maria Child, Frederick Douglas fight to end male 
  domination and slavery 
● Seneca Falls Convention used the language of the Declaration of 
Freedom of speech as a 
independence to fight for women’s right 
weapon to maintain   
slavery    
  Ways the government kept slavery going: There are many examples! 
  ● Details 
  ● Details 
   
  ● 1836 - US Congress violates First Amendment 
  ○ Details 
  ○ Details 
● Slave Codes 
○ Details 
○ Details 
● 1850 Fugitive Slave Law  
○ Details 
○ Details 
● Dred Scott  
○ Details 
 
 
Summary - Section 1 
Word Bank: ​Bill of Rights, Enforcement, Federal, Civil Liberties, Rights,170 years, Courts 
 

There were some problems that involved the bill of rights. This included not having any mechanical 
enforcements, having some of the right being applied to the federal government, and not applying to 
everyone. This is due to taking 170 years for citizens to guarantee their rights. It also did apply to 
some federal government but it didn’t apply to the police, who were continuing their brutal job on 
slavery, and people. There weren’t any ways to have it in front of the courts 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Summary - Section 2 
Word bank: ​Civil Liberties, France, Ideas, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Immigrants and refugees, Alien and 
Sedition Acts 
 

Civil liberties are deprived because of fear. This is due to people such as John Adams having dear 
that France is going to attack the U.S 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
Summary - Section 3 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Summary - Section 4