Adding the Bill of RightsAdding the Bill of Rights

Chapter 6 section 1Chapter 6 section 1

The amendment processThe amendment process• The Constitution requires the approval of both the

national and state levels when ratifying any amendment

• Amendment is approved by Congress then by the states

• Two ways to propose amendment– Congress can propose amendment if it’s been ratified

by a two-thirds vote in the Senate and the House of Representatives

– National Convention can propose amendments. Convention has to be called for by two thirds of the state legislatures. (method has not been used)

The Debate in CongressThe Debate in Congress

• James Madison talked to members of the house – 1789

• He stated that many Americans didn’t think the Constitution protected their rights

• Bill of Rights would earn people’s trust and start a new republic

Preparing the Bill of RightsPreparing the Bill of Rights

• Two months later- Congress began preparing Bill of Rights

• Statements in the list included the Magna Carta, the English Bill of Rights, colonial charters, and state constitutions

• Issue- Where would the Constitution place the Bill of Rights?

• Most of the members of Congress wanted the Bill of Rights attached to the end

• Reasoning: They didn’t want to give them the same importance as the original Constitution

The Proposal and the RatificationThe Proposal and the Ratification

• Committee of Congressmen wrote the final versions of the twelve amendments

• Ten of them protected citizens’ rights

• Approved and proposed to the states- 1789

• People who distrusted the new government welcomed the amendments

The Proposal and the Ratification The Proposal and the Ratification Con’tCon’t

• Two proposals failed– To enlarge the House– To limit when Congress might raise its salaries

• December 15, 1791- the states ratified ten amendments that protected their rights. The Bill of Rights was a part of the Constitution