1. Adding the Bill of Rights
Chapter 6
Section 1

2. Introduction Define Bill of Rights.
Many of the Framers thought that the Bill of Rights were not necessary. What group would that have been? (Federalist or Anti-Federalist)
If the Framers had not added the Bill of Rights would the Constitution have been ratified?
Define Amendment Process.

3. The Amendment Process
The amendment process requires that any amendment must be approved at both the national and state levels.

4. Amendment Process
First an amendment is approved at the national level- by Congress- and proposed to the states.
Then, the states ratify it or reject it.

5. Amendment Process
There are two ways to propose an amendment to the states.
A national convention may propose amendments. The convention must be called for by 2/3rds of the state legislature. This method has not been used.
Congress may propose an amendment if it has been approved by 2/3rds vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The 27 amendments have been proposed in this method. OR

6. Congress chooses which method is used.
Amendment Process
There are 2 ways states can ratify an amendment.
The other method is approval by special conventions in 3/4ths of the states.
The usual route is approval by 3/4ths of the nation’s state legislatures. OR
Congress chooses which method is used.

7. The Debate in Congress
For the Bill of Rights the amendment process stated in Congress.
James Madison spoke to his fellow members of the House in June 1789.
What did Madison believe? What did he argue?

8. The Debate in Congress
The Bill of Rights he said would earn the people’s trust and lay a solid foundation for the new republic.
Madison said that by passing the Bill of Rights, Congress would “make the Constitution better in the opinion of those who opposed to it without weakening its frame…”

9. The Debate in Congress
Madison convinced his fellow members for two months before they began to prepare the Bill of Rights.
What documents did they use for inspiration when making the Bill of Rights?
Where did Madison want the Bill of Rights?

10. The Debate in Congress
Where did the majority of Congress members want the Bill of Rights to be? Why?
A committee wrote a final version of twelve amendments, including ten that protected citizen’s rights.
Congress approved the amendments and proposed them to the states in___.

11. The Debate in Congress
Were the amendments liked by the people who opposed the Constitution?
Which were the two proposals that failed?
On December 15, 1791, the states had ratified ten amendments protecting citizens’ rights.
The Bill of Rights had become part of the Constitution.