December 15, 1791 - Bill of Rights Adopted
With a three-quarters vote of the legislature, Congress ratifies 10 individual rights articles proposed by James Madison, enacting the Bill of Rights. As originally adopted, the U.S. Constitution contained few guarantees for individual citizens, and numerous states called for the inclusion of rights guarantees.
Related resources:
- Audio: Civil Liberties in an Age of Terror (Justice Talking)
- Bill of Rights (FindLaw)
- Ten Things to Think About: The Bill of Rights (FindLaw)
