What is the Bill of Rights?

The Bill of Rights consists of the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, and these amendments were ratified on December 15, 1791. This essential part of the Constitution guarantees specific individual rights and liberties, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press, as well as the rights to bear arms, assemble peacefully, and receive a fair trial.

The purpose of the Bill of Rights was to protect citizens from potential government overreach and to ensure that certain fundamental rights were not to be violated. Its creation stemmed from the debates during the ratification of the Constitution itself, with many advocates calling for a formal declaration of rights to prevent the new federal government from infringing on personal liberties.

The other options do not provide an accurate description of the Bill of Rights. While a statement of government principles and codified laws may exist, they do not capture the specific nature and intent of the Bill of Rights. Similarly, summarizing the Declaration of Independence does not relate to the protections of individual rights that the Bill of Rights encompasses.