A History Lesson

When the U.S. Constitution was written, the writers did not define the individual rights of Americans. As a result, some states refused to agree to it. The people and representatives from New York, Virginia, and Massachusetts opposed the Constitution, and a missing Bill of Rights was one of their main issues. Some of these opposers included Patrick Henry, Sam Adams, George Mason, and Richard Henry Lee.

James Madison

Do you remember the name James Madison? Even though many people wrote the Constitution, James Madison is known as "the Father of the Constitution" because many of his ideas are included in the document. Since many of the delegates refused to sign the Constitution without a Bill of Rights, James Madison wrote 12 amendments that he presented to the First Congress in 1789. Ten of the amendments were passed and became part of the U.S. Constitution. These first ten amendments were later named the Bill of Rights.

Are you excited to learn what your rights are? In this lesson, you will learn about ten of your rights as an American citizen. *You will need your fingers to help you learn them.