The Constitution grants powers to the government and freedoms to the people.

The U.S. Constitution set up three different branches, or parts, of the government. The legislative branch is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and it makes laws for the country. The executive branch, headed by the president, decides how to carry out those laws. And the judicial branch, made up of the U.S. Supreme Court, rules on whether or not the other two branches are doing their jobs legally and correctly. These three branches are supposed to be equal in power, to make sure that everyone's rights are protected, and so that no one branch ever takes over the government. This is called the balance of powers.

The writers of the Constitution built in a system to make sure the document could be changed if necessary. Changes to the Constitution are called amendments. The first ten amendments are known as the Bill of Rights. The words you see here are from the First Amendment. It protects freedom of speech and of the press, and guarantees Americans the right to gather peacefully in public places. It also protects the freedom of religion, and guarantees that the government can't make a national religion. Freedom of speech includes more than just speaking your mind; it also includes political protests like the one you see here. How important do you think the First Amendment is? How do you think things would be different if we didn't have the First Amendment?

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