(The first ten amendments are called the Bill of Rights.) The Declaration and Bill of Rights set limitations on government the Constitution was designed both to create an energetic government and also to constrain it. The Declaration stands on its own-it has never been amended-while the Constitution has been amended 27 times. The Declaration was designed to justify breaking away from a government the Constitution and Bill of Rights were designed to establish a government. The Founders believed that natural rights are inherent in all people by virtue of their being human and that certain of these rights are unalienable, meaning they cannot be surrendered to government under any circumstances.Īt the same time, the Declaration, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are different kinds of documents with different purposes. Those rights include common law rights, which come from British sources like the Magna Carta, or natural rights, which, the Founders believed, came from God. Most importantly, the Declaration, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are based on the idea that all people have certain fundamental rights that governments are created to protect. Thomas Jefferson was the principal drafter of the Declaration and James Madison of the Bill of Rights Madison, along with Gouverneur Morris and James Wilson, was also one of the principal architects of the Constitution. The Bill of Rights was proposed by the Congress that met in Federal Hall in New York City in 1789. The Declaration and Constitution were drafted by a congress and a convention that met in the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia (now known as Independence Hall) in 17 respectively. All were drafted by people of similar backgrounds, generally educated white men of property.
There are some clear similarities among the three documents. These are the three most important documents in American history. But why are they important, and what are their similarities and differences? And how did each document, in turn, influence the next in America’s ongoing quest for liberty and equality?
At the National Constitution Center, you will find rare copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
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