The Bill of Rights was created to fully ensure that the rights of Americans were protected. Federalists thought that individual rights would already be protected under the new Constitution and common law. Anti Federalists didn’t want to support the constitution unless certain and specific rights were protected and specified. Congress started by proposing amendments to add to the constitution. Many felt adding a bill of rights was unnecessary. When the Constitution was ratified there a demand from some people in congress for a bill of rights that outlined the rights of individual not just the rights of the state. James Madison played a key role in influencing and drafting the Bill of Rights. Thomas Jefferson was also a strong supporter in the creation of the Bill of Rights. In 1789 James Madison proposed twelve amendments to state legislators.
Only ten amendments of the twelve proposed were ratified. They became the first ten amendments added to the constitution called the Bill of Rights. It put restrictions on what government could do to citizens. The Bill Of Rights still plays a major role in everyday American life today.
10 Amendments 