What are the first ten amendments to the Constitution collectively known as?

The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution are collectively known as the Bill of Rights. This designation reflects their primary purpose, which is to guarantee fundamental rights and freedoms to individuals and limit the powers of the federal government. Ratified in 1791, the Bill of Rights includes essential rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press, as well as protections against unreasonable searches and seizures and the right to a fair trial.

The Bill of Rights was a crucial part of the Constitutional debates and helped to address the concerns of Anti-Federalists who feared that the new Constitution did not adequately protect individual liberties. By clearly enumerating specific rights, the Bill of Rights has played a significant role in American law and civil rights, serving as a foundation for legal interpretations and protections that continue to shape the rights of citizens today.

In contrast, the other options refer to different historical documents or concepts. The Constitution proper encompasses the main body of the Constitution without the amendments. The Articles of Confederation were the first governing document of the United States, which was ultimately replaced by the Constitution. The Declaration of Independence is a separate document that announced the colonies' break from British rule and outlined fundamental principles of government and individual rights but is not part of the Constitution