What does the Bill of Rights comprise?

The Bill of Rights comprises the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. These amendments were ratified in 1791 and were created to ensure the protection of individual liberties and rights against potential government overreach. The inclusion of these amendments was a response to the concerns raised by Anti-Federalists, who feared that the new Constitution did not adequately safeguard personal freedoms.

Each of the ten amendments addresses specific rights, such as the freedom of speech, religion, and press; the right to bear arms; and protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, among others. This foundational aspect of American law serves to guarantee essential civil liberties and reflects the principles of individual rights and limited government, which are central to the American political ethos.

The other options are either broader than necessary, like including more than just the first ten amendments, or they misrepresent the Bill of Rights, which is specifically about individual rights rather than state rights or independence declarations.