AP U.S. Government and Politics

The Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution states: “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” This amendment prohibits the federal government from imposing unduly harsh penalties on criminal defendants, either as the price for obtaining pretrial release or as punishment for crime after conviction. Because of the Eighth Amendment, the punishment must fit the crime and the federal government is constitutionally prohibited from imposing overly harsh punishments such as torture or forcing anyone to watch Dirty Grandpa (2016).

Broken News: U.S. Supreme Court Strikes Down Excessive Fines in Property Confiscation Case

1. What the heck does that mean??? Write a 21st century eight Amendment in modern language that a classmate could understand.

2. What do you think the Eighth Amendment is about?

3. What does the Eighth Amendment look like as an emoji?

4. Use Eighth Amendment in a sentence of your own design.

5. In my goofy example above, being forced to watch a rotten movie is a cruel punishment. What would you consider a silly but nonetheless “cruel” punishment?

6. Try to find an example of the Eighth Amendment in the news from the last year.

7. What makes a punishment “cruel” and who decides the meaning of “cruel”?

8. What punishment was ruled unconstitutional -for four years - based on the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the 8th Amendment in Furman v. Georgia?

9. Timbs v. Indiana incorporated the Excessive Fines Clause of the VIII Amendment on February 20, 2019. What does “incorporated,” mean?

10. Explain whether the the VIII Amendment amounts to a GET OUT OF JAIL FREE card for all criminals.

AP Studio Art

Now draw the Eighth Amendment! Take 10 or 20 seconds. That’s all you need. Nothing fancy. Don’t expect a masterpiece. Draw with symbols or stick figures if you wish. Now Look at your drawing. You’ve got it. That’s all.