Which amendment addresses protection from unreasonable searches and seizures?

The correct answer is the Fourth Amendment, which specifically addresses the protection of individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures. This amendment is a critical component of the Bill of Rights, ensuring that individuals have the right to privacy in their persons, homes, papers, and effects. It requires law enforcement to have probable cause and, in most cases, a warrant before conducting searches and seizures.

The design of the Fourth Amendment aims to prevent arbitrary governmental intrusions into the private lives of citizens. It emphasizes the importance of a balance between the interests of public safety and individual rights to privacy. By requiring warrants to be judicially sanctioned and supported by probable cause, the amendment serves as a check on governmental power, safeguarding citizens from abuse and overreach.

In contrast, the other amendments listed do not address the concept of searches and seizures. The Second Amendment deals with the right to bear arms, the Tenth Amendment addresses the powers reserved to the states and the people, and the Eighth Amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. Each of these amendments focuses on different aspects of personal rights and liberties, highlighting the specific role the Fourth Amendment plays in protecting citizens from unlawful governmental action.