U.S. Bill of Rights Ratified
December 15, 1791 · Early Modern
On December 15, 1791, Virginia became the eleventh state to ratify the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, meeting the three-fourths threshold required for adoption. Originally twelve amendments were proposed by Congress on September 25, 1789, drafted primarily by James Madison. The ratified ten addressed individual liberties including speech, assembly, and petition rights, protections against unreasonable searches, and guarantees of due process. The amendments responded to Anti-Federalist concerns that the original Constitution lacked explicit protections for individual rights.
Key Figures
Thomas JeffersonGeorge WashingtonJames MadisonGeorge Mason
Locations
Federal HallRichmondVirginia State Capitol
Topics
United States Constitutionright to bear armsreligionfreedom of speechhuman rightsbill of rights
Connected Events — 5 Connections
Established the constitutional model of enumerated individual rights that influenced the specific structure and content of civil and political rights in the ICCPR Intl. Covenant on Civil and Political Rights is Adopted
Provided contemporary philosophical model and language for individual rights that influenced Madison's drafting of the Bill of Rights, with Jefferson's correspondence from Paris reinforcing these Enlightenment principles Declaration of the Rights of Man
Established the precedent of limiting governmental power through enumerated rights, particularly influencing the structure and language of prohibitions against government overreach in the American Bill of Rights English Bill of Rights Passed
Created the constitutional framework that Anti-Federalists demanded be amended with explicit individual rights protections, directly necessitating the Bill of Rights as a condition for ratification U.S. Constitution Ratified
Created the philosophical and legal foundation for individual rights that the Bill of Rights formalized into constitutional law, with Jefferson's natural rights theory directly influencing the specific protections enumerated Declaration of Independence Adopted
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