Bill of Rights Day-December 15
James Madison, the author the Constitution introduced it’s first twelve amendments.
The House of Representatives adopted them on August 21, 1789 and formally proposed them by joint resolution of Congress on the twenty-fifth of September. On December 15, 1791 ten of the twelve were ratified. Virginia’s ratification of these amendments created the necessary three-fourths majority vote of the twelve states to make it law.
The Anti-Federalists; those opposing the ratification of the Constitution; were concerned that the document gave too much power to the new national government without defining the rights of the people.
The Bill of Rights was penned in order to secure the rights of the people from a government that would try to remove or redefine them.
These first ten amendments enumerates the freedoms not explicitly indicated in the Constitution:
1.Freedom of religion, speech and assembly
2.Right to keep and bear arms for the purpose of a well-regulated militia
3.No forcible quartering of soldiers during peacetime
4.Freedom from unreasonable search and seizure
5.Right to a grand jury for capital crimes and due process. Protection from double jeopardy, self-incrimination and public confiscation of private property without just compensation.
6.Right to speedy and public trial by jury and a competent defense
7.Right to trial by jury for monetary cases above $20
8.Protection against excessive bail or fines and cruel and unusual punishments
9.Rights not enumerated are retained by the people
10.Rights not given to the federal government or prohibited the state governments by the Constitution, are reserved to the States... or to the people
2.Right to keep and bear arms for the purpose of a well-regulated militia
3.No forcible quartering of soldiers during peacetime
4.Freedom from unreasonable search and seizure
5.Right to a grand jury for capital crimes and due process. Protection from double jeopardy, self-incrimination and public confiscation of private property without just compensation.
6.Right to speedy and public trial by jury and a competent defense
7.Right to trial by jury for monetary cases above $20
8.Protection against excessive bail or fines and cruel and unusual punishments
9.Rights not enumerated are retained by the people
10.Rights not given to the federal government or prohibited the state governments by the Constitution, are reserved to the States... or to the people
