On December 15, 1791, the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, was ratified.
The Bill of Rights was proposed by James Madison in June 1789 and passed the House and Senate in September 1789. Twelve amendments were signed by President George Washington and sent to the states for ratification, with 10 amendments passing the three-fourths mark required for ratification on December 15, 1789.
It guarantees civil rights and liberties such as freedom of speech, press, and religion; the right to protest, and the guarantee of equal protection under the law as well as right to counsel and protection against unreasonable searches and seizures, among others. It sets rules for due process of law and reserves all powers not delegated to the Federal Government to the people or the states. The original joint resolution proposing the Bill of Rights is on permanent display at the National Archives in Washington, DC.
The Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent ends of its institution.
Preamble to the Bill of Rights