The Constitution and its amendments are the foundation of our democracy and the centerpoint

of so many controversies in American politics.

We decided to take these important amendments one by one and go back to basics.

If freedom of speech and the right to bear arms are enshrined as fundamental values, we

want to understand them on a deeper historical level.

We put together this series on the amendments to do just that.

During America's colonial era, Britain passed many laws to increase its revenue collection.

Americans felt oppressed and began to find ways around these taxes, including smuggling.

The King of England took action and equipped British agents with a writ of assistance

that gave them extremely broad powers to search a person and their property without permission.

The founding fathers drew on those experiences and believed every person had a God-given

right to be protected in their own home.

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects against

unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated and no warrants shall issue,

but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation and particularly describing

the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.

Today, as the population increases, technology advances and solving crimes becomes more complex.

The question has been raised.

How much is enough to warrant probable cause?

Should Americans have to sacrifice their privacy for safety?

And how far should law enforcement be allowed to go?

Now more than ever, it is important to know and understand our rights.

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