Chapter 8 in the book James Madison and the Struggle for the Bill of Rights finally opens up discussion about including a bill of rights in the new U.S. Constitution. Madison was a member of the Constitutional Convention and, at the time, he had not been in favor of enumerating individual rights in the Constitution. Some of the convention members refused to sign on because of the lack of a statement of rights.
Once he realized his home state of Virginia wasn't eager to ratify the Constitution, Madison began to change his opinion on the need for a bill of rights. In fact it became a major plank in his campaign for Congress.
You can get down to brass tacks and read this Library of Congress document about the Bill of Rights. These ten amendments were added to the Constitution two and a half years (previously I'd said 18 months but on listening to the book further I realized I had done the math wrong) after Madison first raised the question on the floor of the House of Representatives.
States have their own statements or declarations or bills of rights. If you'd like to compare and contrast state approaches, this page could serve as a table of contents.
Once he realized his home state of Virginia wasn't eager to ratify the Constitution, Madison began to change his opinion on the need for a bill of rights. In fact it became a major plank in his campaign for Congress.
You can get down to brass tacks and read this Library of Congress document about the Bill of Rights. These ten amendments were added to the Constitution two and a half years (previously I'd said 18 months but on listening to the book further I realized I had done the math wrong) after Madison first raised the question on the floor of the House of Representatives.
States have their own statements or declarations or bills of rights. If you'd like to compare and contrast state approaches, this page could serve as a table of contents.