Final answer:
The Bill of Rights comprises the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, which protect individual freedoms including speech, press, religion, and the right to assemble, as well as rights during legal proceedings.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first ten amendments of the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, protect our civil liberties and basic individual freedoms. Notably, these amendments safeguard freedoms such as speech, press, religion, and the right to assemble peacefully, as well as rights related to legal proceedings such as the right to a fair and speedy trial, protection against unreasonable searches and seizures, and the right against cruel and unusual punishment. The Bill of Rights was ratified on December 15, 1791, signifying a foundational moment in establishing these protections against the violation of rights by the federal government, and later, through the incorporation doctrine, by state governments.