Nothing was more pressing for the new government than delivering on a promised set of amendments to the Constitution. They were demanded by those who feared the states would be destroyed by the new central government. Madison took the lead by preparing the amendments and on September 25, 1789 a list of 12 was submitted. Ten of the amendments were finally ratified and in force on December 15, 1791.
Although England had a Bill of Rights, it was narrower and could be repealed by Parliment. The American version was broader, and repeal could only be made through the state, the intention was to guarantee freedoms not specifically mentioned in the original Constitution.
Rights Guaranteed by the Bill of Rights:
First Amendment
Guarantees separation of state and church and freedom to worship; freedom of speech and the press; the right to assemble and petition for changes.Second Amendment
The right to bear arms. Those who favor gun control point to the Bill's specifications of “a well regulated militia," while advocates of gun ownership site this amendment in its literal sense.Third Amendment
Soldiers cannot be housed in a private home without the consent of the owners. (A reaction to the British Quartering Act, one of the "intolerable acts" leading to the Revolution.)Fourth Amendment
The right to be free from “unreasonable search and seizure." (Another "hot" issue, criminal rights versus law enforcement, hinges on interpretation of this amendment.)Fifth Amendment
Provides for laws concerning prosecution, including the requirement of a grand-jury indictment and the protection from testifying against oneself.Sixth Amendment
Guarantees the right to a speedy public trial in the district where the crime was committed, as well as other protections for the accused.- Seventh Amendment. Guarantees a trial by jury.
Eighth Amendment
Prohibits "cruel and unusual punishment" the amendment at the heart of the capital punishment debate.Ninth Amendment
Defines the rule of the construction of the Constitution.Tenth Amendment
Guarantees that any power not specifically delegated to the federal government or denied to the states in the Constitution rest with the states or the people.
