Compare and Contrast Versions of the Bill of Rights

Originally, under the Articles of Confederation, individual states retained most governing powers. Concerns over their effectiveness soon became evident. The new nation badly needed to pay off its war debts, and there was no method to collect taxes. A supermajority of states was required to pass most laws.

A constitutional convention was called in 1787 to address these challenges. Delegates met at Philadelphia in Independence Hall, where they scrapped the Articles of Confederation and eventually created a new system of government under the United States Constitution. After the Constitution was ratified by the states and became the supreme law of the land, Representative James Madison proposed a series of amendments. Several states advocated for additional protections for individual liberties. Below is the U.S. Senate’s “markup” of what became the Bill of Rights. On September 25, 1789, Congress passed these 12 amendments, and they were sent to the states for approval. Articles 3 through 12 were ratified in 1791, ensuring such basic American freedoms as the right to freedom of speech, freedom of worship, and freedom of assembly.

Timeline

• September 11, 1786 – Annapolis Convention: Spurred by weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation, nine states agreed to send delegates to Annapolis to discuss trade issues. Because of the poor attendance, the delegates decided to have another convention the following year.
• May 25, 1787 – Constitutional Convention: Delegates from 12 states convened in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation, with Rhode Island not participating. Instead of amending the Articles, delegates drafted and proposed a new government.
• August 6, 1787 – First Draft of the Constitution: The first draft of the Constitution was reported to the Constitutional Convention by the Committee of Detail, was printed for review by the delegates.
• September 13, 1787 – Second Draft of the Constitution: The second draft of the Constitution, reported by the Committee on Style and Arrangement, was printed for review by the delegates.
• September 17, 1787 – Constitution Proposed: On September 15, delegates to the Constitutional Convention voted on the final version of the Constitution. Two days later, delegates signed it and sent it to the states for ratification.
• June 21, 1788 – Constitution Adopted: New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, which made its adoption official.
• March 4, 1789 – First Congress: The First Congress under the new constitution was set to meet in New York City on March 4, 1789, but because of delays the House achieved a quorum on April 1 and the Senate on April 6, 1789.
• September 25, 1789 – First Constitutional Amendments: Congress proposed 12 Constitutional amendments to the states for ratification.
• December 15, 1791– Bill of Rights Approved: With Virginia’s ratification of proposed amendments 3-12, the first ten amendments to the Constitution became law. Later, they became known as the Bill of Rights.

Instructions

Have students look closely at the Senate Revisions to the Bill of Rights, then ask: 

• What do you notice?
• What suggestions or edits are handwritten onto the document? 
• How do these suggestions impact the meaning of the document? 

Have students look closely at the final version of the Bill of Rights, then ask:

• What is different about this version from the earlier draft? 
• Did the handwritten notes get incorporated into the final document? 
• Are there suggestions you think should have been incorporated? Or suggestions you think should not have been incorporated into the final document?