History and Scope of the Amendment. History. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated.The People of this State have the sole and exclusive right of regulating the internal government and police thereof, as a free, sovereign and independent State. The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the federal government from conducting "unreasonable searches and seizures. But cracks in the Fourth Amendment have weakened our personal security. United States Constitution. All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives. An annotation about the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. The right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures has its roots in English history. Official announcement of ratification was not made until January 8, 1798, when President John Adams in a message to Congress stated that the Eleventh Amendment.