Ten amendments make up the United States Bill of Rights, a founding-era milestone before America250.
The Bill of Rights consists of the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. Congress proposed twelve amendments in 1789, but only ten were ratified by the required number of states in 1791. The original First and Second proposed amendments were not ratified at that time; the former concerned congressional apportionment and the latter later became the Twenty-seventh Amendment.
The ten ratified amendments protect or address rights including religious freedom, speech, press, assembly, due process and protection against unreasonable searches. They also address issues involving juries, bail, punishments and the relationship between federal and state powers.
The Bill of Rights was added after debates over the Constitution. Supporters viewed it as an important safeguard against government abuse, while some Federalists argued that listing rights could imply that unlisted rights did not exist. Its 1791 ratification places it in the early constitutional history connected to the nation’s 250-year story.