5. What do we call the first 10 amendments to the Constitution?
Answer:
The Bill of Rights
Explanation:
While the Constitution was being written,
many people argued that it did not actually protect the rights (or freedoms) of citizens or protect citizens
from having the government take away their rights.
Because of this, immediately after the Constitution was ratified (or approved) in 1789,
the First Congress proposed 12 amendments to the Constitution that would protect civil rights
(or the rights that citizens have to social and political freedom and equality,
and having the same opportunities as all other citizens).
Ten of these Amendments were approved,
and they became known as the Bill of Rights.
“Bill” is an old word meaning a list,
so the Bill of Rights is a list of a citizen’s basic rights.
The Bill of Rights includes a lot of rights and freedoms
that are part of what it means to be an American.
For example,
it protects our freedom of speech–the right of people to say what they want.
It also guarantees (or gives people the right to) freedom of religion,