The Necessity of The Bill of Rights: How these Rights Could Have Saved Proctor in Arthur Miller's, The Crucible

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The Bill of Rights is dictation of the first ten Amendments to the constitution, written in their inventive form. The most important articles in the Bill of Rights are amendments five and eight, which protect one’s right to a speedy trial and just punishment. In the end of The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, we are able to recognize the necessity of these articles, because combined; they could have helped save Proctor’s life. Amendments are laws that are mandatory rules/regulations by the people for the people. These articles help keep and protect each individual’s rights at anytime, and anywhere. One of the most important amendment, number five, “addresses the prosecution of a person for a suspected crime.” (Bill of Rights) Essentially, it states that one must be specified by a grand jury before he or she can stand trial. In addition to the right to a speedy trial, this amendment also states that a person cannot be tried twice for the same case, nor can he be forced to testify against himself, and he must be given due process of law” (Bill of Rights). This amendment could have truly helped save Proctor’s life because with reliance to this piece, Proctor would not have had to testify against himself. During Proctor’s trail of witchcraft accusations, Danforth orders Proctor to sign his confession against the church door, however, Proctor denies, stating, “God has witnessed my confession and he is all who matters.” (Miller 132). Proctor is refusing to sign his signature a document that states he confesses to committing a crime that he did not. Hand in hand with amendment number six, I find that amendment number eight also could have helped Proctor’s situation. This article in the Bill of Rights would have allowed him to be punished... ... middle of paper ... ...ther for the purpose of hunting, or simpe for protection. Of course, it is mandatory to possess a license for the type of weapon that is present in the home; however, this amendment protects us from charges that might be given to those in possession of weapons in their homes. Surely, the Bill of Rights, are a set of significant articles that amend our country from what it is today, and what it use to be in the 1900’s, during the Salem Witch trials. If the amendments were in place during that time, the people of the village, in Salem, would not have sufered such cruel and unjust punishment and their rights as citizens would have been protected. Similarly, today the amendments guarantee us, as citizens, vital rights that hold the country united as one. The importances of these editorials go beyond our everyday rights, instead, making us a part of who we are today.

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