BILL OF RIGHTS

Bill of Rights



Bill of Rights

Introduction

The Bill of Rights (United States Bill of Rights) denotes the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution. It limits the powers of the federal government gives rights such as freedom of the press, of speech, of religion, assembly, and bear arms. They were adopted by Congress September 26, 1789. They entered into force on 15 December 1791, after ratification by three fourths of the states. The Bill of Rights was drafted by James Madison and a special commission. Madison was probably influenced by the debates of the Assembly of Virginia and a booklet comprising the amendments proposed by the Federated States. It aimed to limit the powers of central government, but also to grant individual rights of U.S. citizens. But it concerned only the federal government and not the Federated States.

The absence in the text of the Constitution of the United States of articles that guarantee civil rights, even in the early years of the American state has become a major topic of political differences, associated with a specific group and party interests. From the president, government and congress were expecting the promised another Constitutional Convention of the legal document that would guarantee citizens their rights and freedoms.  (Kermit, 2002)

For four years after the adoption of the Constitution to Congress flocked to the numerous proposals states. Major of the proposed amendments have been reflected in the reports prepared by James Madison supplements containing guarantees rights to freedom of religion, speech and press, freedom of assembly, right to keep and bear arms for security of person and home, to the fair administration of justice and the introduction of jury trials. These articles were the first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States, authorized by Congress on Sept. 25, 1791. After the ratification of these amendments state legislatures to December 15, 1791, they became part of the U.S. Constitution under the unofficial name of the Bill of Rights. The main author of the project was in Madison, but in the preparation and adoption of the document played an important role as Thomas Jefferson, while ambassador to France. His correspondence with Madison was influenced by the text of the document.  (Thomas, 2008)

The draft Bill of Rights included 12 amendments, but Amendment, which establishes the formula for calculating the number of MPs in the House of Representatives on the results of the census, which would pass every ten years, was never ratified (though de facto the same principle applies today). The Second Amendment, which prohibits the entry into force the laws, change the size of salaries of Senators and Representatives before their re-election, entered into force only in 1992 and became the twenty-seventh amendment. 

Hamilton stated the beginning of the Constitution secured that right when it started “We the People of the United States to secure the blessing of liberty to ourselves and our prosperity, do and establish…”, and he believed this statement would serve the people better than a bill of rights. (Kermit, 2002)

Madison considered being the “Father of the Bill of Rights” was initially opposed to having a bill of rights in the ...