3rd Grade Civics & Government — We the People — Our Government and Constitution
Students will learn what the Bill of Rights is and understand the key freedoms it protects for every American.
When the Constitution was first written, some people worried it did not do enough to protect the rights of individual citizens. They wanted to make sure the government could never take away important freedoms.
In 1791, ten amendments — or additions — were added to the Constitution. These ten amendments are called the Bill of Rights. They list the freedoms that every American has and that the government must respect.
The First Amendment protects some of our most important freedoms: the freedom of religion, the freedom of speech, and the freedom of the press. This means you can worship God freely, speak your mind, and share your ideas without the government stopping you.
The Second Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms. Other amendments protect you from unfair treatment by the government — like being punished without a fair trial or having soldiers forced into your home.
The Founders believed that these rights come from God, not from the government. The government's job is to protect the rights God has already given us. That is why the Bill of Rights is so important — it reminds the government that our freedoms belong to us because God gave them to us.
Choose your three favorite freedoms from the Bill of Rights. Draw a picture for each one showing what that freedom looks like in your life. For example, for freedom of religion, you could draw your family at church.