Advanced Placement US History (AP US History) Practice Exam 2025 - Free AP US History Practice Questions and Study Guide

The primary purpose of the Bill of Rights, which comprises the first ten amendments to the Constitution, was to protect individual liberties against government infringement. After the Constitution was ratified, there was significant concern among various states and anti-Federalists about the potential for the new federal government to abuse its power and infringe upon the rights of individuals and states. To address these concerns and ensure the protection of fundamental rights, the Bill of Rights was proposed and ratified.

The amendments included in the Bill of Rights guarantee essential freedoms such as freedom of speech, religion, and assembly, as well as protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, ensuring due process, and safeguarding the right to bear arms, among others. By explicitly enumerating these rights, the Bill of Rights serves as a crucial legal framework that limits government power and safeguards individual freedoms, thereby reflecting the foundational principles of liberty and justice upon which the nation was built.