Final answer:
The U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1788, was carefully crafted in secrecy to establish the foundation of the U.S. federal government. Distinguished from other historical documents, it initially lacked a Bill of Rights, which was added later to address civil liberties concerns.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Bill of Rights:
The U.S. Constitution was prepared in secrecy, behind locked doors that were guarded. This document is not to be confused with the Emancipation Proclamation, the Gettysburg Address, or the Bill of Rights, which are all distinct historical artefacts with different origins and purposes.
The U.S. Constitution was drafted in 1787 and ratified in 1788, marking the foundation of the United States' federal government and outlining its structure. Although the idea of a Bill of Rights was proposed during the Constitutional Convention, it was not included in the initial draft. Civil liberties concerns that were later addressed in the first 10 Amendments, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, were incorporated in the main body of the Constitution, which was shaped by a series of compromises over contentious issues like slavery.