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The United States Bill of Rights, comprising the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, was added following the 1787–88 debate over the ratification of the Constitution. The amendments were written by James Madison, who studied the deficiencies of the Constitution pointed out by Anti-Federalists and crafted a series of corrective proposals. Madison's amendments focused on rights-related changes, ignoring suggestions that would have structurally changed the government. The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution to address objections raised by Anti-Federalists and to limit government power and protect individual liberties.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year proposed | 1789 |
| Number of amendments proposed | 12 |
| Number of amendments ratified | 10 |
| Year ratified | 1791 |
| Year Article Two was ratified | 1992 |
| Year Article One was ratified | Still pending |
| Person who proposed the amendments | James Madison |
| Person who influenced the proposal | Thomas Jefferson |
| Person who opposed the proposal | Roger Sherman |
| Organization that opposed the proposal | First Congress |
| Reason for proposal | To address objections raised by Anti-Federalists |
| Reason for opposition | Congress had no authority to change the Constitution's wording |
| Basis for the proposal | Virginia Declaration of Rights, English Bill of Rights, Magna Carta, etc. |
| What it guarantees | Specific guarantees of personal freedoms, such as freedom of speech, the right to publish, practice religion, possess firearms, assemble, and other natural and legal rights |
| What it does to government power | Places clear limitations on the government's power in judicial and other proceedings |
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What You'll Learn
The Bill of Rights was added to the US Constitution in 1791
The United States Bill of Rights, comprising the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, was added in 1791. The amendments were proposed by James Madison, a member of the US House of Representatives, who studied the deficiencies of the Constitution and crafted a series of corrective proposals. Madison's proposals were designed to win support in both houses of Congress and the states, focusing on rights-related amendments.
On September 25, 1789, the First Congress of the United States proposed 12 amendments to the Constitution, which were then sent to the states for approval. Ten of these amendments were ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures by December 15, 1791, and became the Bill of Rights. These amendments defined citizens' rights in relation to the newly established government under the Constitution, guaranteeing personal freedoms and placing limitations on the government's power.
The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution due to concerns that the original document lacked limits on government power and did not adequately protect individual liberties. The amendments spell out the immunities of individual citizens, including the right to freedom of speech, the right to publish, freedom of religion, the right to possess firearms, and the right to assemble, among others.
The concepts codified in the amendments build upon those in earlier documents, such as the Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776), the Northwest Ordinance (1787), the English Bill of Rights (1689), and the Magna Carta (1215). The addition of the Bill of Rights to the Constitution was a significant step in defining and protecting the rights of citizens in the United States.
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It comprises the first ten amendments to the Constitution
The United States Bill of Rights comprises the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. It was proposed following the 1787–88 debate over the ratification of the Constitution, which was drafted in the summer of 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Bill of Rights was written by James Madison, who studied the deficiencies of the Constitution pointed out by Anti-Federalists and crafted a series of corrective proposals. Madison's proposals were designed to win support in both houses of Congress and the states, focusing on rights-related amendments rather than structural changes to the government.
On June 8, 1789, Madison introduced a list of amendments to the Constitution, and on September 25, 1789, the First Congress of the United States proposed 12 amendments to the Constitution. Ten of these amendments were ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures on December 15, 1791, and became the Bill of Rights. These amendments defined citizens' rights in relation to the newly established government under the Constitution. They added specific guarantees of personal freedoms, such as freedom of speech, the right to publish, practice religion, possess firearms, and assemble, among other natural and legal rights.
The Bill of Rights also included clear limitations on the government's power, declaring that all powers not specifically granted to the federal government by the Constitution are reserved to the states or the people. This was an important issue during the debates on the adoption of the Constitution, with opponents arguing that the Constitution as drafted would lead to tyranny by the central government. The concepts codified in the amendments built upon those in earlier documents, such as the Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776), the Northwest Ordinance (1787), the English Bill of Rights (1689), and the Magna Carta (1215).
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The amendments were proposed by James Madison
The United States Bill of Rights, comprising the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, was proposed by James Madison, a member of the First Congress's House of Representatives from Virginia. On June 8, 1789, Madison introduced a proposed Bill of Rights to the Constitution, addressing the House of Representatives. He proposed nearly 20 amendments, which were designed to win support in both houses of Congress and the states.
Madison's proposed amendments focused on rights-related issues, such as freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the right to practice religion and assemble. He also wanted to ensure that each branch of the government had clear and distinct roles. Madison initially suggested that the proposed amendments be incorporated into the main body of the Constitution. However, they were proposed as supplemental additions (codicils) to it.
The House agreed on a version of the Bill of Rights with 17 amendments, but the Senate consolidated the list to 12 amendments. These 12 amendments were approved by Congress and sent to the states by President Washington in October 1789. By December 15, 1791, three-fourths of the states had ratified 10 of these amendments, now known as the "Bill of Rights."
Madison played a crucial role in crafting these amendments, addressing the objections raised by Anti-Federalists, and securing their passage. His efforts ensured that the Bill of Rights guaranteed specific personal freedoms and placed clear limitations on the government's power.
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The amendments were added to limit government power
The United States Bill of Rights, comprising the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, was added to limit the powers of the federal government. The amendments were added in 1791, following the 1787–88 debate over the ratification of the Constitution.
The amendments were proposed by James Madison, who initially opposed the Bill of Rights. However, he introduced a list of amendments on June 8, 1789, to address the objections raised by Anti-Federalists and to secure the ratification of the Constitution. Madison focused on rights-related amendments, ignoring suggestions that would have structurally changed the government.
The Bill of Rights adds specific guarantees of personal freedoms to the Constitution, such as freedom of speech, the right to publish, practice religion, possess firearms, and assemble. It also includes explicit declarations that all powers not specifically granted to the federal government by the Constitution are reserved for the states or the people. This concept, known as federalism, is reaffirmed in the Tenth Amendment, which states that the powers of the federal government are limited to those explicitly granted in the Constitution.
The Ninth Amendment also reinforces the limitation of government power by declaring that there are additional fundamental rights that exist outside the Constitution. This amendment reflects the understanding that the enumeration of certain rights in the Constitution does not deny or disparage other rights retained by the people.
In addition to limiting the powers of the federal government, the Bill of Rights also provided a framework for interpreting and applying the Constitution. For example, in Furman v. Georgia (1972), members of the Court found capital punishment to be in violation of the amendment, reflecting "evolving standards of decency" as public opinion changed. This interpretation of the Eighth Amendment's prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment resulted in a temporary halt to executions in the United States.
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The amendments protect individual liberties
The United States Bill of Rights, comprising the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, was proposed in 1789 following the 1787–88 debate over the ratification of the Constitution. It was written by James Madison, who studied the deficiencies of the Constitution and crafted a series of corrective proposals. Madison's amendments were designed to win support in both houses of Congress and the states, and focused on rights-related changes, rather than structural alterations to the government.
The amendments of the Bill of Rights add to the Constitution specific guarantees of personal freedoms, such as freedom of speech, the right to publish, practice religion, possess firearms, assemble, and other natural and legal rights. The Ninth Amendment, for example, declares that there are additional fundamental rights that exist outside the Constitution. The amendments also include explicit limitations on the government's power in judicial and other proceedings, declaring that all powers not specifically granted to the federal government by the Constitution are reserved to the states or the people.
The Fourteenth Amendment, adopted after the Civil War, also protects individual rights from interference by the states. It prohibits the states from depriving "any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law". The Fifth Amendment also protects against self-testimony, being tried twice for the same crime, and the seizure of property under eminent domain. The Eighth Amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishment for crimes, and the Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to a speedy trial and a lawyer.
The concepts codified in these amendments are built upon those in earlier documents, especially the Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776), the Northwest Ordinance (1787), the English Bill of Rights (1689), and the Magna Carta (1215).
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Frequently asked questions
The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution in 1791.
12 amendments were originally proposed, but only 10 were ratified and became the Bill of Rights.
The amendments were written by James Madison.
