Upfront's guide to the Constitution: even some of our leaders could use a refresher on the nation's founding legal document. Here's a primer on the most quotable constitutional amendments.

• Author: Majerol, Veronica
• Position: NATIONAL

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During a debate before November's midterm elections, Christine O'Dounell, the Republican candidate for the Senate in Delaware, asked her opponent, Democrat Chris Coons, "Where in the Constitution is the separation of church and state?"

Coons correctly pointed to the First Amendment, which states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion." Later in the debate, however, Coons (who ended up defeating O'Donnell) also stumbled when he couldn't name the other four freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment.

O'Donnell and Coons aren't alone when it comes to flunking Constitution 101. In 2008, when Vice President Joe Biden was still Senator Biden, he said, incorrectly, that the Vice President may preside over the Senate "only in a time when in fact there's a fie vote. The Constitution is explicit."

Actually, the Constitution (in Article 1, Section 3) says that the Vice President may preside over the Senate at any time but can vote only to break a tie; as far back as the 1790s, Thomas Jefferson often took the gavel when he was John Adams's Vice President.

With our leaders setting the bar pretty low, it's no wonder that so many Americans are also uninformed about constitutional basics. For example, in a recent poll only 6 percent of adults knew that the First Amendment guarantees the right to petition the government.

Since you're unlikely to memorize all 4,543 words of the Constitution, what are the most important things to remember? It's the amendments to the Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, that most often make headlines, and directly or indirectly affect our daily lives.

So here's Upfront's guide to 10 amendments you really want to be familiar with, along with key Supreme Court cases that have helped define their meaning over the years. Get a handle on these, and you're a lot less likely to get caught flat-footed in class--or when you decide to run for public office.

First Amendment (1791)

What it says: The government can't establish a national religion (the "establishment clause") or prevent citizens from worshipping as they choose; freedom of speech, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government are also guaranteed.

Background: After fleeing the tyranny of England's King George HI and religious persecution in Europe, the Framers wanted explicit protection of basic liberties, and guarantees that the public could challenge the policies of their leaders.

Key cases: Tinker v. Des Moines (1969): The Supreme Court ruled that, within certain limits, students are allowed free expression in schools; Texas v. Johnson (1989): Flag burning is protected expression; New York Times Co. v. United States (1971): In most cases, the...