The Political Hat

     Today is the 223^rd anniversary of the first ten amendments to the Constitution coming into effect.  The original Bill of Rights contained a preamble stating that the clauses were “declaratory and restrictive” — i.e. they restricted the Federal Government and simply declared already existing rights and liberties.  This is in stark contrast with almost every non-American declaration of rights, wherein inherent rights are conflated with promised of government handouts and benefits.

     The Bill of Rights, as passed by Congress, has twelve articles, the 3rd through 12th became what we know today as the first tend amendments to the Constitution and what people generally refer to when they speak of the Bill of Rights.  The first article that was proposed was never ratified; the second article was ratified over 200 years later and became the 27th Amendment.

     Below is the Bill of Rights, including preamble, as passed by Congress:

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