The Bill of Rights

The Bill of Rights is a very important part of American law. It is the first ten changes, called amendments, added to the United States Constitution. These amendments protect the freedoms of American citizens. The Bill of Rights was approved on December 15, 1791.

Why It Was Created

When the Constitution was written in 1787, some people worried it did not do enough to protect individual rights. They wanted a list of freedoms that the government could never take away. James Madison wrote the amendments based on ideas from many people. The states approved the Bill of Rights in 1791.

Important Freedoms

The First Amendment protects freedom of speech, religion, and the press. The Second Amendment is about the right to bear arms. Other amendments protect people from unfair searches and guarantee a fair trial. The Bill of Rights is still one of the most important documents in American history.

Fun Facts

• James Madison is called the Father of the Bill of Rights because he wrote the amendments.
• Originally, 12 amendments were proposed, but only 10 were approved at first.
• The original Bill of Rights is kept in the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Did You Know?

The Bill of Rights only applied to the federal government at first; it took many years before the rights were applied to state governments too.