What does the 9th Amendment state about rights?

The 9th Amendment of the United States Constitution plays a crucial role in the interpretation of individual rights. It specifically states that the enumeration of certain rights in the Constitution does not mean that other rights, which may not be explicitly mentioned, do not exist. This amendment emphasizes that individuals have more rights than those merely listed in the Constitution, acknowledging the existence of inherent rights that are fundamental to the human experience and not explicitly articulated in the founding document.

This interpretation aligns with the belief that the Constitution should not be seen as an exhaustive list of rights, thus allowing for the recognition and protection of rights that could evolve over time or those considered to be implied rights. The 9th Amendment serves as a safeguard against the potential for governmental infringement on unenumerated rights, reinforcing the idea that citizens possess a broader scope of rights than what is simply outlined in the text.

The other responses do not capture this nuance effectively. The first suggests a limitation that only explicitly stated rights are protected, which contradicts the purpose of the 9th Amendment. The second implies that any unlisted rights are illegal, which is not consistent with the amendment's intent. The fourth option incorrectly assumes that the federal government has the authority to unilaterally expand rights, disregarding