Collectively known as the United States Bill of Rights, these first ten
amendments to the United States Constitution limit the powers of the
federal government and protect the rights of all citizens, residents and
visitors on United States territory. Introduced in 1789 in the First
United States Congress by James Madison, these amendments came into
effect on December 15, 1791, when ratified by three-fourths of the
states. This document plays a central role in American law and remains
to this day a symbol of the freedoms and culture of this nation. In this
beautiful gift edition, the text of the Bill of Rights is set alongside
a history of the amendments, thus placing the document in its historical
context.