Directions: Please review the materials we have already discussed by reading the passage below. Answer the question dealing with the passage on the electronic worksheet you downloaded.      

     At the end of the Constitutional Convention, Americans were divided in their support for the document.  The nation was split into “Federalists” who supported the Constitution and “Anti-Federalists” who were opposed to the Constitution.  The Federalists were led by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, while Anti-federalists were led by the former “voice of thunder” Patrick Henry.  A great debate soon arose throughout the nation as to whether or not the Constitution should become the law of the land. 

     After the delegates had signed the document in Philadelphia, nine state legislatures still needed to ratify or approve the document to allow it to officially take effect.  Hamilton, Madison, and John Jay attempted to convince the people of the merits of the document by writing a series of essays defending the Constitution called the “Federalist Papers”.  Anti-Federals such as Henry countered their arguments and complained that the Constitution did not protect the rights of the people.  They charged that the Constitution as drafted would open the way to tyranny by the central government.  Fresh in their minds was the memory of the British violation of civil rights before and during the Revolution.  They demanded a "bill of rights" that would spell out the rights of individual citizens.

     This difference in views of the Constitution required a solution and a compromise in order to save the central government.  To get the approval of nine states especially Virginia, who demanded such a “bill of rights”, changes or “amendments” would have to be made to the Constitution securing the rights of the people.  The Constitution was finally ratified when it was agreed that a “Bill of Rights” would be added to the document.  Initially twelve amendments were proposed by Congress and given to the state legislatures for their approval.  Only ten of the amendments were adopted by three fourths of the states in 1791.  These first ten amendments to the Constitution are known as “The Bill of Rights”.    

     The First Amendment is probably the most well know within the "Bill of Rights".  We can still see evidence of the First Amendment as well as the entire "Bill of Rights" in the United States today.  This activity will help you understand that the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are living documents that have shaped society.

 Please go onto Step #2 "What does the First Amendment Say?"