“I plead the Fifth. » This well-known expression is used by an individual who refuses to answer a question that could incriminate him. This phrase refers to the Fifth Amendment to the Bill of Rights (Brezina 15). The Bill of Rights protects the fundamental rights of Americans, including the rights to free speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion (Teitelbaum 8). The Fifth Amendment to the Bill of Rights guarantees the rights of a person accused of committing a crime (Teitelbaum 15). Since the U.S. government took responsibility for creating the Bill of Rights, the Fifth Amendment has protected the rights of accused suspects and property owners. It was the duty of the founding fathers to establish a government and protect its citizens (Burger 5). The Articles of Confederation was a document created before the Bill of Rights united the thirteen colonies (Teitelbaum 7). The Articles of Confederation protected the independence of the states but did not provide the federal government with necessary powers. The federal government could not enter into trade agreements with other countries, collect taxes directly from people, or enforce laws and rules. Additionally, citizens had virtually no individual rights (Armentrout 13). America needed a stronger document on which to base its new country (Teitelbaum 7). In May 1787, fifty-five delegates met in Philadelphia to settle the Articles of Confederation. Many delegates believed that the Articles of Confederation could not be corrected; they therefore decided to draft a constitution which was completed in the following four months (Armentrout 14). In September 1787, the Constitution was signed by thirty-nine of fifty-five delegates. Delegates agreed to have ...... middle of document ......13. Forbes Media LLC. October 7, 2013. Armentrout, David. The Bill of Rights. Vero Beach, Florida. Rourke Publishing LLC. 2005. Blohm, Craig E. “The Road to Rights.” Cobblestone September 1991: 6 - 12. Brezina, Corona. The Fifth Amendment: double jeopardy, self-incrimination and due process. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2011.Burger, Warren E. “Our Bill of Rights.” Cobblestone September 1991: 4 - 5. Gold, Susan D. Miranda v. Arizona (1966): Rights of suspects. New York. 21st century books. 1995. Holland, Jessie. “Supreme Court Says Pre-Miranda Silence Can Be Used in Court.” HuffingtonPost. June 17, 2013. Smith, Rich. Fifth Amendment: The Right to Fairness. Edina, Minnesota. ABDO Publishing Company, 2008. Teitelbaum, Michael. The Bill of Rights. Chanhassen, Minnesota. Children's world, 2005.