36.8k views
4 votes
Why did some states demand that the U.S. Constitution include a Bill of Rights?

User Psisodia
by
5.7k points

2 Answers

4 votes

Almost immediately after beginning to meet in 1789, the first Congress, led by James Madison, began to consider amendments to the Constitution proposed by the state ratifying conventions. George Washington and Madison had personally pledged to consider amendments because they realized that some amendments would be necessary to reduce pressure for a second constitutional convention that might drastically alter and weaken the new federal government. Fastening on Anti-Federalist criticisms that the Constitution lacked a clear articulation of guaranteed rights, Madison proposed amendments that emphasized the rights of individuals rather than the rights of states, an ingenious move that led to cries that these amendments—now known as the “Bill of Rights”—were a mere diversion.


User Castis
by
5.2k points
5 votes

Answer:

Some states demanded that the U.S. Constitution include a Bill of Rights so that people’s rights could be protected against infringement from any powerful government, public officer/official, and wealthy or powerful citizens.

Step-by-step explanation:

Some states demanded that the U.S. Constitution include a Bill of Rights because they thought it would be important to protect each individual’s liberty from any government or person who would want to use their power to deprive individuals of personal rights, such as freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of press, etc.

User Rui Wang
by
5.3k points