Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights protects and upholds the rights of each citizen against infringement from the private citizen, public official, or the government. The Bill of Rights is the first 10 amendments to the Constitution.
On September 25, 1789, the First Federal Congress sent 12 amendments to the states to consider. Virginia became the eleventh state to ratify amendments 3-12. These first 10 amendments were known as the Bill of Rights. Three-fourths of the states ratified the Bill of Rights in 1791.