The first ten amendments to the constitution were ratified in 1791, only three years after the U.S. Constitution was adopted. During the ratification debates within the states, one of the primary concerns raised by Anti-federalists (those who did not support adopting the new constitution) was in the constitution’s inadequacy for protecting individual rights. Therefore, a series of amendments were proposed in the House of Representatives and aimed to put limitations on the government’s ability to create rules that restrict individual rights.
Theme
Topic
LOC Resource
LOC Title
Constitution Annotated- Bill of Rights
LOC Short Description
This website presents the U.S. Constitution broken down by articles and amendments, annotated with a section on the Bill of Rights.
LOC Title
Creating the United States- Bill of Rights
LOC Short Description
An exhibition on the creation of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights
LOC Title
Creating the United States: Word Search
LOC Short Description
Interactive word searches for important words in the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
LOC Title
Primary Documents in American History: Bill of Rights
LOC Short Description
A list of online and print resources related to the Bill of Rights.
LOC Title
Creating the Bill of Rights
LOC Short Description
An interactive presentation to connect ideas and particular phrases in the Bill of Rights with documents that came before it.