Ace the Milwaukee Civics Challenge 2026 – Unleash Your Inner Wisconinite!

The first ten amendments are known as the Bill of Rights. They were added to the Constitution in 1791 to protect individual freedoms and limit the power of the federal government. They lay out fundamental protections such as freedom of speech, religion, and assembly; freedom of the press; the right to bear arms; protection against unreasonable searches and seizures; rights to due process and a fair trial; and other essential liberties people hold. The Preamble is just an introduction to the Constitution, not a list of rights; the Articles of Confederation was the earlier framework that governed before the Constitution; and the Social Compact is a philosophical idea, not a formal name for these amendments.