The Origins of the Bill of Rights

The New Nation
Written By Tom Hand

When the Constitutional Convention met in the summer of 1787, the primary goal of the delegates was to fix the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation. Most of the discussion focused on how our new government would operate, not on the individual rights of the people. George Mason of Virginia introduced a motion to adopt a Bill of Rights, but the suggestion was quickly dismissed.

Tom Hand, creator and publisher of Americana Corner, discusses the origins of this incredible document, and why it still matters today.


Images courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Library of Congress, Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Louise E. Bettens Fund, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Bequest of Adele S. Colgate - 1962, White House Collection/White House Historical Association, National Portrait Gallery - Smithsonian Institution, Wikipedia.

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The first ten amendments to the Constitution, better known as the Bill of Rights, are what allow us to enjoy many of the day to day blessings of our great country. Freedoms easily taken for granted are enshrined in these revisions to the original document. While the Constitution shaped our government; the Bill of Rights shaped our lives.

Tom Hand
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