4-4.3

It Is Essential For Students To Know:

• The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments that were added to the Constitution to protect the individual rights and freedoms not addressed in the original Constitution.
• When the Constitution went to the state ratifying conventions, some Americans were concerned that the Constitution gave the national government too much power. These people became known as the Anti-Federalists. Anti-Federalists were a significant force in several key states and they would not approve the Constitution until amendments protecting the rights of the individual against a too powerful national government were promised.
• Amendments were proposed during the first Congress and sent to the states for ratification. Ten of these were ratified.
• They guarantee the rights of individuals and limit the powers of government.
• These rights include the freedoms of religion, speech and assembly, the rights of citizens to bear arms, protection against troops being quartered in private homes, safeguards against unreasonable searches, the requirement for indictment by a grand jury for major crimes, guarantees of a speedy public trial and trial by jury, and prohibitions against excessive bail.
• The Bill of Rights also recognizes that people have rights other than those mentioned in the Bill of Rights and that powers not delegated to the federal government belong to the states or the people.
• The Bill of Rights limits the power of the federal government and protects the rights of individuals and states.

It Is Not Essential For Students To Know:

• Students do not need to repeat the Constitution and Bill of Rights from memory.
• They do not need to be able to name any of the Anti-Federalists.
• Students do not need to know that James Madison was the principal author of the amendments that became the Bill of Rights.
• Students do not need to know that 13 amendments were proposed to the states and that an 11th amendment was ratified decades later and became the 27th amendment to the Constitution.