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Quartering of Soldiers

The drafters of the Constitution, like many other colonists, were resentful of laws enacted before the Revolutionary War that allowed British soldiers to take over (or be “quartered” in) private homes for their own use. For that reason, they crafted the Third Amendment, which prohibits the government from forcing individuals to provide lodging to soldiers in their homes, except during war when the interest of national security may override an individual’s right of private property.

Rarely discussed in detail in Supreme Court decisions, the Third Amendment has more commonly been held up as evidence that the framers meant the Constitution to protect individuals from government intrusion into their homes, family lives and personal affairs.

www.justicelearning.org, The United States Constitution, what it says, what it means, A Hip Pocket Guide (Oxford University Press)