Why were the Bill of Rights originally understood mainly as limits on the federal government?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: The amendments were added to restrain the new national government
The Bill of Rights was adopted in response to fears about federal power under the new Constitution. At first, these amendments were generally understood as restrictions on the national government, not directly on state governments.
Practice all 20 Bill of Rights and Early Amendments questions
Keep practicing
More Bill of Rights and Early Amendments questions
- Which right is protected by the Second Amendment?
- Which amendment protects the right to a jury trial in many civil cases?
- Why was freedom of the press especially important in the early republic?
- What did the Eleventh Amendment, ratified in the 1790s, primarily address?
- What problem did the Twelfth Amendment seek to fix after the election of 1800?
- How did the promise of a Bill of Rights affect the ratification debate?