Activity 4.1 - 9th and 10th Amendments 

Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence that there were certain unalienable rights, such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Today we call these civil liberties or human rights. The framers of the Constitution added a Bill of Rights to protect individual freedoms, but were unable to list all of the rights that individuals and powers that states had. The 9th and 10th Amendments did not protect an individual right, but instead were a safety net meant to protect citizens from the national government.

Read about the 9th and 10th Amendments to learn how these amendments protect citizens.

• 9th Amendment

• National Constitution Center
• Laws.com (includes audio and text enlargement options)

• 10th Amendment

• National Constitution Center
• Laws.com ((includes audio and text enlargement options)

Click on “Add submission” and write your answers to the questions below. When you are finished, click on “Save changes”

Questions:

1. What does unenumerated mean?

2. List 2 examples of rights citizens have under the 9th Amendment.

3. List 2 examples of powers given to the states under the 10th Amendment.

4. In what ways do the 9th and 10th amendments protect citizens?

5. Explain in 2-3 sentences a specific example of how the 9th or 10th amendment applies to your life.