Many instructors use the term supporting details or concrete details instead of evidence. 1) Facts: The most frequent type of evidence in an essay is facts. Facts include names, dates, or specific events. When writing about literature, evidence takes the form of plot summaries or specific quotations. 2) Authoritative Opinions: Experts in the field about which you are writing provide supporting details and evidence for your thesis statement.
Lysander Spooner (1808-1887) points out the importance of the 9th Amendment to the American Constitution in protecting the natural rights of the people not enumerated in the first 8 amendments. He laments the fact that this amendment has been ignored by the courts almost since it was enacted:
The Purpose of Amendments in the United States Constitution. The Bill of Rights are the first ten amendments of the Constitution. It was originally a pretty controversial idea when it was proposed in 1789, because it was reminiscent of the British Monarchy, who had their own version of a Bill of Rights.