The first ten amendments · 1791

The Bill of Rights in plain English

What each of the first ten amendments protects

About 4 min

The one-line version

The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments to the Constitution. Ratified in 1791, it protects freedoms like speech, religion, and a fair trial from the government.

The ten amendments at a glance

1First Amendment: Religion, speech, press, protestThe government cannot punish you for your religion, your speech, what you publish, peaceful protest, or asking officials to fix things.2Second Amendment: Right to keep and bear armsThe Supreme Court says you have an individual right to keep and carry guns, but governments can still pass some gun laws.3Third Amendment: Housing soldiersIn peacetime, the government cannot make you house soldiers in your home without your consent.4Fourth Amendment: Search and seizurePolice generally need a warrant, your consent, or a legal exception to search you, your home, your phone, or your things.5Fifth Amendment: Silence, fair process, propertyYou can't be forced to testify against yourself or tried twice for the same crime, and the government must treat you fairly.6Sixth Amendment: Rights at a criminal trialIf you're charged with a crime, you have the right to a lawyer, a fair jury, a speedy public trial, and to question witnesses.7Seventh Amendment: Jury in civil casesIn most federal civil lawsuits, you have the right to have a jury decide the facts.8Eighth Amendment: Bail, fines, punishmentThe government cannot set bail or fines that are too high, or use cruel and unusual punishments.9Ninth Amendment: Rights not listedThe Constitution lists some of your rights, but not all of them. You keep rights that are not on the list.10Tenth Amendment: Powers of the statesThe federal government has only the powers the Constitution gives it. Other powers belong to the states or to the people.

Why it was added

The original Constitution of 1787 set up the government but listed few personal rights. Many Americans, called Anti-Federalists, would not support it without a list of rights.

James Madison drafted amendments in 1789. Congress sent 12 to the states. Ten were ratified on December 15, 1791. One of the other two became the 27th Amendment in 1992.

Who it protects you from

At first, the Bill of Rights limited only the federal government. The Supreme Court said so in Barron v. Baltimore (1833).

After the 14th Amendment (1868), the Court applied most of the Bill of Rights to state and local governments too, one right at a time. This is called incorporation. The Bill of Rights still does not limit private companies, stores, or employers.

Common questions

What is the Bill of Rights in simple terms?

It is the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution. They list freedoms the government cannot take away, like free speech, freedom of religion, protection from unreasonable searches, and the right to a fair trial.

What are the 10 amendments in the Bill of Rights?

1st: religion, speech, press, assembly, petition. 2nd: keep and bear arms. 3rd: no forced housing of soldiers. 4th: no unreasonable searches. 5th: due process and the right to silence. 6th: a fair criminal trial and a lawyer. 7th: juries in civil cases. 8th: no excessive bail or cruel punishment. 9th: other rights exist. 10th: powers kept by states and people.

When was the Bill of Rights ratified?

December 15, 1791. That day, Virginia's approval gave the amendments the three-fourths of states they needed to become part of the Constitution. Two other amendments Congress proposed with them were not ratified at that time.

Who wrote the Bill of Rights?

James Madison drafted it. He drew on state declarations of rights, especially Virginia's, written by George Mason. Congress revised Madison's proposals and sent 12 amendments to the states in 1789. Ten were approved.

Why was the Bill of Rights added to the Constitution?

To win support for the new Constitution. Anti-Federalists feared a strong national government would trample personal freedoms. Supporters promised to add a list of rights after ratification, and Madison followed through in 1789.

Does the Bill of Rights apply to states?

Mostly, yes, today. At first it limited only the federal government (Barron v. Baltimore, 1833). Through the 14th Amendment, the Supreme Court has applied most of its protections to states and cities. This is called incorporation.