One Page Papers

History & philosophy · 1791

The Bill of Rights

First Congress of the United States

Ratified December 15, 1791

The poster PDF, wallpaper

Retrieved
27 September 2026
License
Public domain
Rights holder
First Congress of the United States, 1789
Language
English
  • The first ten amendments to the Constitution in their original form, proposed by the First Congress on September 25, 1789, as Articles 3 to 12 of a Joint Resolution of twelve articles.
  • Capitalization and punctuation from the enrolled original of the Joint Resolution, on display in the Rotunda of the National Archives.
  • archives.gov/founding-docs
About this edition and its rights

Edition

Transcription by the National Archives of “the first ten amendments to the Constitution in their original form”, the second part of the page “The Bill of Rights: A Transcription”, headed “The U.S. Bill of Rights”; its note says that “the capitalization and punctuation in this version is from the enrolled original of the Joint Resolution of Congress proposing the Bill of Rights”. The ten amendments, with their headings “Amendment I” to “Amendment X”, are set word for word. Left out: the first part of the page, the transcription of the whole Joint Resolution of 1789 (its preamble, the twelve articles and the attestation), whose Articles 3 to 12 are the same ten amendments; the kicker and the footer take the dates and the facts they give from the notes of the page.

Rights

Proposed by the First Congress of the United States on 25 September 1789 and ratified on 15 December 1791. In the United States, it was published before 1931, and the transcription is a work of the National Archives, a federal agency (17 U.S.C. 105). In France, it is an official act of a public authority, and its authors, members of the First Congress, all died long before 1 January 1956 (James Madison, who drafted the amendments, on 28 June 1836).

The National Archives state: “Works of the U.S. Government that have been produced by the National Archives and Records Administration are in the public domain and may be copied and distributed without permission.” (https://www.archives.gov/global-pages/privacy.html)

Amendment I#

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Amendment II#

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Amendment III#

No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Amendment IV#

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Amendment V#

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Amendment VI#

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Amendment VII#

In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Amendment VIII#

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Amendment IX#

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment X#

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.