Choose one of the amendments in the passage and identify its precedent.
What passage?
The bill of rights
https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/billofrights
Check out the different links here that say see explanation.
To identify the precedent of an amendment in a passage, you would need to analyze the historical context and legal principles that influenced its creation. Since you haven't provided a specific passage or amendment, I'll explain the process of finding a precedent for an amendment using the 1st Amendment to the United States Constitution as an example.
The 1st Amendment states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
To find the precedent and understand the context of this amendment, you should examine the historical background and legal principles that influenced its inclusion in the Constitution. In the case of the 1st Amendment, a significant precedent can be traced back to English common law and political philosophy.
One precedent for the freedom of speech and press can be found in 17th century England, specifically the case of John Peter Zenger. Zenger, a printer, was charged with sedition for publishing articles critical of the colonial governor of New York in 1734. His trial established a precedent that truth is a defense against charges of libel, contributing to the idea that individuals should have the right to express their opinions freely without fear of government retaliation.
Another precedent can be found in the Virginia Declaration of Rights, written by George Mason in 1776. This document, which served as a model for the Bill of Rights, explicitly protected the freedom of speech, press, and religion. The ideas expressed in the Virginia Declaration of Rights influenced the drafting of the 1st Amendment.
By examining precedents like the Zenger case and the Virginia Declaration of Rights, we can understand the historical and legal foundation that shaped the inclusion of the 1st Amendment in the United States Constitution. This approach can be used with other amendments to identify their precedents and gain a deeper understanding of their significance.