Constitutional right facts for kids

A constitutional right is a special freedom or protection that a country's constitution promises to its citizens. Think of a constitution as a country's rulebook. These rights are very important because they limit what the government can do and protect what people can do.

What are Constitutional Rights?

In the United States, many of these important rights are found in the Bill of Rights. This is the first ten amendments, or changes, to the U.S. Constitution. These amendments were added to make sure people's basic freedoms were clearly protected.

Rights Around the World

Different countries have different constitutional rights. For example, almost half of all countries in the world have a constitutional right to health care. This means their government promises to help people get medical care. However, in the United States, health care is not a constitutional right.

The Right to Own Firearms

Some countries also have a constitutional right for citizens to own firearms. Besides the U.S., countries like Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Liberia have this right. However, Guatemala's right to own firearms is the most similar to the Second Amendment in the United States.

Freedom of Religion

About 182 countries have some form of Freedom of religion protected in their constitutions. This means people are free to believe in and practice any religion they choose, or no religion at all.

Unique U.S. Freedoms

The First Amendment in the United States guarantees several unique constitutional rights. These include freedom of the press, which means news organizations can report without government control. It also includes freedom of speech, allowing people to express their ideas freely. The right to petition allows citizens to ask the government to change things. Finally, the freedom of assembly lets people gather peacefully. These specific rights are almost unique to the United States.