Adding the Bill of Rights Chapter 6 section 1

The amendment process The Constitution requires the approval of both the national and state levels when ratifying any amendment Amendment is approved by Congress then by the states Two ways to propose amendment –Congress can propose amendment if it’s been ratified by a two-thirds vote in the Senate and the House of Representatives –National Convention can propose amendments. Convention has to be called for by two thirds of the state legislatures. (method has not been used)

The Debate in Congress James Madison talked to members of the house – 1789 He stated that many Americans didn’t think the Constitution protected their rights Bill of Rights would earn people’s trust and start a new republic

Preparing the Bill of Rights Two months later- Congress began preparing Bill of Rights Statements in the list included the Magna Carta, the English Bill of Rights, colonial charters, and state constitutions Issue- Where would the Constitution place the Bill of Rights? Most of the members of Congress wanted the Bill of Rights attached to the end Reasoning: They didn’t want to give them the same importance as the original Constitution

The Proposal and the Ratification Committee of Congressmen wrote the final versions of the twelve amendments Ten of them protected citizens’ rights Approved and proposed to the states People who distrusted the new government welcomed the amendments

The Proposal and the Ratification Con’t Two proposals failed –To enlarge the House –To limit when Congress might raise its salaries December 15, the states ratified ten amendments that protected their rights. The Bill of Rights was a part of the Constitution