Wednesday: Law & Civics
What is the primary purpose of the Bill of Rights?
Pick One:
Hint: The Bill of Rights reflects Enlightenment ideals.
The Bill of Rights serves a crucial role in protecting individual liberties while limiting governmental power.
The Bill of Rights, ratified in 1791, comprises the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution and serves a crucial role in protecting individual liberties while limiting governmental power.
These amendments were introduced to address concerns that the original Constitution did not sufficiently safeguard fundamental rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press, as well as protections against unreasonable searches and cruel punishments.
Drafted by James Madison, the Bill of Rights reflects Enlightenment ideals and sets a foundation for balancing the power of the federal government with the freedoms of its citizens. It remains a cornerstone of American democracy and legal tradition.
What about the other answers?
To establish the structure of the U.S. government: This is the role of the main body of the U.S. Constitution, not the Bill of Rights.
To grant voting rights to all citizens: While the Bill of Rights protects many freedoms, voting rights are primarily addressed in later constitutional amendments.
To provide rules for amending the Constitution: The process for constitutional amendments is outlined in Article V of the U.S. Constitution, not the Bill of Rights.