8th Amendment Research Paper

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The Bill of Rights, a set of ten amendments that were added to the United States Constitution, was ratified on December 15, 1791. This was after the Declaration of Independence in 1776. It was drafted in response to concerns raised by anti-federalists during the ratification of the Constitution. These anti-federalists were worried that the Constitution did not provide enough protection for individual liberties. The Bill of Rights aims to address these concerns by protecting fundamental freedoms such as speech, religion, press, due process, trial by jury, and protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. George Mason, the author of Virginia's Declaration of Rights, was the main writer of the federal Bill of Rights model. James Madison, …show more content…
This amendment serves as a critical safeguard against the possibility of governmental abuse of power and the imposition of unjust or excessive punishment. The Eighth Amendment enshrines the principle that the punishment must fit the crime and that the government must not engage in cruel or unusual punishment. It is a powerful reminder that the government's power to punish must be exercised consistent with the fundamental principles of fairness, proportionality, and human dignity. By upholding these principles, the Eighth Amendment plays a critical role in preserving the rights and liberties of all citizens of the United States. The Ninth Amendment acknowledges that there are fundamental rights that exist beyond those listed in the Constitution. The Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution establishes the principle of federalism and outlines the division of powers between the federal government and the states. It affirms that the federal government possesses only those powers explicitly granted to it by the Constitution, while all other powers are reserved for the states or the people