The United States Bill of Rights consists of the first 10 amendments to the Constitution.
Congress proposed 12 amendments in 1789, but the states ratified only 10 of them by December 15, 1791. Those 10 amendments protect civil liberties and place limits on federal government power.
The amendments address subjects including freedom of religion and expression, protections against unreasonable searches, due process, criminal-trial rights, and limits on excessive bail and unusual punishment. They also address rights retained by the people and powers reserved to the states or the people.
The two proposals that were not initially ratified had different outcomes. One concerned congressional apportionment and remains pending, while the other eventually became the Twenty-Seventh Amendment in 1992. Thus, the original Bill of Rights remains a group of 10 amendments.