What Circumstances Brought about the Need for this Amendment? (Essay Sample)

Fourth Amendment
Student's Name
Institution
What circumstances brought about the need for this amendment? (Background)
The fourth amendment was enacted because during pre-revolutionary America, British officials abused the writ of assistance and searched people arbitrarily (Brayton, 2013). The arbitrary search of people created tensions and resentment. The amendment was enacted to protect the populace from illegal seizures and searches.2. How did it change our constitution?
The amendment changed the bill of Rights as it created the provision that before conducting a seizure or a search, law enforcement officers must obtain an authorized search warrant. 3. What impact does this amendment have on our society?
The amendment has been applied in various Supreme Court rulings and it has expanded the scope of the right to privacy. The amendment applies to physical locations as well as to individuals. Evidence obtained in violation of the amendment is not admissible in a court of law (Brayton, 2013). Law enforcement officers have to strive to obtain evidence using legal means. 4. Citations to sources you will be relying on for your presentation (three sources outside of your text, all of which may be websites and only one of which may be an encyclopedia)
Encyclopedia of the American Constitution (January 1, 2000). Historical Origins of the Fourth Amendment. Retrieved from: /doc/1G2-3425001007.html
“A Historical Overview of the Fourth Amendment” (n.d.). Retrieved from: http://web1.nusd.k12.az.us/schools/nhs/gthomson.class/pol699.paper/pol699.hist.ove view.html
Brayton, E. (April 17, 2013). Washington’s Bizarre Argument on the Fourth Amendment. Free Thought Blogs. Retrieved from: http://freethoughtblogs.com/dispatches/2013/04/17/washingtons-bizarre-argument-on-the-4th-amendment/
5. What was the background leading to the need for a constitutional amendment?
The original colonial search warrant gave officials the power to seize, search, and arrest based on suspicions. The amendment was sparked by an incident during which forty nine innocent people were arrested, and thousands of papers and books were confiscated without any grounds (Brayton, 2013). The resentment generated by such unwarranted searches led to the formulation of the fourth amendment.
6. What were the arguments for and against its passage?
The arguments for the passage were that the British sovereign had to respect the inherent rights of individuals; the writs of assistance were oppressive, grievous, and unreasonable, and that the writs were being issued without justifiable cause (Brayton, 2013). Those opposed to the amendment ar...