What is the purpose of the Bill of Rights?

The purpose of the Bill of Rights is to limit government powers, ensuring that individual liberties are protected from government infringement. Ratified in 1791, the Bill of Rights consists of the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, which explicitly outline the rights and freedoms guaranteed to citizens.

These amendments were a response to concerns raised during the ratification debate of the Constitution, where many people feared that a stronger federal government could encroach on personal freedoms. By enshrining rights such as freedom of speech, religion, assembly, and the press, as well as protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, the Bill of Rights serves as a critical safeguard for individual liberties in the face of governmental authority. Its primary aim is to ensure that the government does not overstep its bounds and that citizens retain fundamental rights that cannot be easily violated.

In contrast, enhancing government powers, increasing state sovereignty, or merely defining the powers of Congress would not align with the Bill of Rights' foundational goal of protecting individual freedoms from governmental overreach.