The Fourth Amendment

The Fourth Amendment states that American citizens have the right to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and belongings against unreasonable searches and seizures. This was not always the case. The Founders had to overcome great obstacles—fighting for American independence and ratifying the Constitution and the Bill of Rights—to provide these rights. This book outlines that arduous journey, and then focuses on the Fourth Amendment’s impact on modern American life and the role of the Supreme Court in safeguarding those protections. Sidebars highlight the amendment in action and zero in on the details of Supreme Court cases. It concludes with an examination of the impact of technological advances on our privacy and features a list of all the Amendments to the Constitution, including those proposed, but unratified.