December 15 marks the anniversary of the ratification of the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the Constitution. These amendments spell out Americans’ rights in relation to the government. But what does the Bill of Rights actually do? At Independent Women, we believe that preserving liberty starts with understanding it. Everyone loves the party game “Two Truths and a Lie.” Can you identify which of the following statements about the Bill of Rights is a lie?
A. The Bill of Rights was written to limit the power of the federal government, not the states or individuals.
B. Many of the rights protected in the Bill of Rights were considered “pre-existing,” meaning the government doesn’t grant them; it merely acknowledges them.
C. The Bill of Rights was included in the original Constitution when it was signed in 1787.
Let’s take these statements one at a time:
A. TRUTH! The Founders feared centralized power. Their primary goal was to restrain the government so that citizens’ natural rights remained protected. Having just fought a war against a centralized authority that abused its power, they were deeply skeptical of any new national government that might repeat those mistakes.
While the Constitution created a stronger federal structure, many Americans worried it still left too much room for overreach. The Bill of Rights became the compromise. It was a clear set of boundaries drawn around Washington, restricting what the federal government could not do: censor speech, disarm citizens, trample religious freedom, or conduct unreasonable searches. The Bill of Rights was designed as a safeguard against government intrusion and serves as a reminder that freedom is best preserved when power is restrained, decentralized, and accountable to the people, not the other way around.
B. TRUTH! The Founders believed that rights come from our humanity, not from lawmakers or shifting political majorities. This idea, rooted in natural law philosophy, shaped James Madison’s approach when drafting the amendments. The Bill of Rights was meant to recognize that certain liberties—speech, conscience, self-defense, property, due process—are inherent. This distinction matters. If rights are inherent, then no government or court has legitimate authority to invent, revoke, or narrow them at will. The Founders were clear: Government does not bestow liberty; it is bound to respect and protect it.
C. LIE! The Bill of Rights was not part of the original Constitution, signed in 1787. In fact, the absence of an explicit list of individual rights became one of the most serious objections raised during the ratification debates.
Many Anti-Federalists feared that a powerful national government without clearly defined limits would threaten personal liberty. They argued that without written protections, citizens would be left vulnerable to federal abuse. In response, supporters of the Constitution promised that amendments safeguarding individual rights would be added once the document was ratified.
True to that promise, Congress proposed the first ten amendments in 1789, and the states ratified them in 1791, four years after the Constitution was signed. The Bill of Rights was not an afterthought, but a necessary assurance to the American people that liberty would not be sacrificed in the name of federal power.
Bottom Line: The Bill of Rights is more than a historical document or a checklist of freedoms. It is a living reminder that liberty is secured when government power is limited, and individual rights are recognized as inherent, not granted. Understanding its true purpose—to restrain federal authority, protect pre-existing freedoms, and prevent the misconception that government “gives” rights—is essential to preserving the liberties Americans have long enjoyed. On this anniversary, reflecting on these principles reminds us that vigilance, knowledge, and respect for the Constitution are the best ways to ensure future generations inherit the same freedoms the Founders fought to protect.