Civil liberties in the United States

Civil liberties in the United States are certain unalienable rights retained by (as opposed to privileges granted to) citizens of the United States under the Constitution of the United States, as interpreted and clarified by the Supreme Court of the United States and lower federal courts. Civil liberties are simply defined as individual legal and constitutional protections from entities more powerful than an individual, for example, parts of the government, other individuals, or corporations. The explicitly defined liberties make up the Bill of Rights, including freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, and the right to privacy. There are also many liberties of people not defined in the Constitution, as stated in the Ninth Amendment: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

The extent of civil liberties and the percentage of the population of the United States who had access to these liberties has expanded over time. For example, the Constitution did not originally define who was eligible to vote, allowing each state to determine who was eligible. In the early history of the U.S., most states allowed only white male adult property owners to vote (about 6% of the population). The 'Three-Fifths Compromise' allowed the southern slaveholders to consolidate power and maintain slavery in America for eighty years after the ratification of the Constitution. And the Bill of Rights had little impact on judgements by the courts for the first 130 years after ratification.

Freedom of religion
The text of Amendment I to the United States Constitution, ratified December 15, 1791, states that:

"'Congress shall make no law... prohibiting the free exercise thereof;'"

Free Speech Clause
The text of Amendment I to the United States Constitution, ratified December 15, 1791, states that:

"'Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech,'"

Free Press Clause
The text of Amendment I to the United States Constitution, ratified December 15, 1791, states that:

"'Congress shall make no law... abridging... the press,'"

Free Assembly Clause
The text of Amendment I to the United States Constitution, ratified December 15, 1791, states that:

"'Congress shall make no law... abridging... the right of the people peaceably to assemble,'"

Petition Clause
The text of Amendment I to the United States Constitution, ratified December 15, 1791, states that:

"'Congress shall make no law... abridging... the right of the people... to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.'"

Free speech exceptions
The following types of speech are not protected constitutionally: defamation or false statements, child pornography, obscenity, damaging the national security interests, verbal acts, and fighting words. Because these categories fall outside of the First Amendment privileges, the courts can legally restrict or criminalize any expressive act within them. Other expressions, including threat of bodily harm or publicizing illegal activity, may also be ruled illegal.

Right to keep and bear arms
The text of Amendment II to the United States Constitution, ratified December 15, 1791, states that:

"'A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.'"

Sexual freedom
The concept of sexual freedom includes a broad range of different rights that are not mentioned in the U.S. Constitution. The idea of sexual freedom has sprung more from the popular opinion of society in more recent years, and has had very little Constitutional backing. The following liberties are included under sexual freedom: sexual expression, sexual choices, sexual education, reproductive justice, and sexual health. Sexual freedom in general is considered an implied procedure, and is not mentioned in the Constitution.

Sexual freedoms include the freedom to have consensual sex with whomever a person chooses, at any time, for any reason, provided the person is of the age of majority. Marriage is not required, nor are there any requirements as to the gender or number of people you have sex with. Sexual freedom includes the freedom to have private consensual homosexual sex (Lawrence v. Texas).

Equal protection
Equal protection prevents the government from creating laws that are discriminatory in application or effect.

Right to vote
The text of Amendment XIV to the United States Constitution, ratified July 9, 1868, states that:

"'when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one (eighteen) years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one (eighteen) years of age in such State.'"

The text of Amendment XV to the United States Constitution, ratified February 3, 1870, states that:

"'The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.'"

The text of Amendment XIX to the United States Constitution, ratified August 18, 1919, states that:

"'The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.'"

The text of Amendment XXIV to the United States Constitution, ratified January 23, 1964, states that:

"'The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.'"

The text of Amendment XXVI to the United States Constitution, ratified July 1, 1971, states that:

"'The right of citizens of the United States, who are 18 years of age or older, to vote, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of age.'"

Right to parent one's children
The right to parent one's own children also includes the right for a parent to teach their children as they see fit, and not have others govern over what their children are taught.

Right to marriage
The 1967 United States Supreme Court ruling in the case Loving v. Virginia found a fundamental right to marriage, regardless of race. The 2015 United States Supreme Court ruling in the case Obergefell v. Hodges found a fundamental right to marriage, regardless of gender.