The Bill of Rights, which comprises the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, was primarily written by James Madison. Madison drafted these amendments as a way to limit government power and protect individual liberties, responding to objections raised during the Constitution's ratification debates. He introduced the amendments to Congress on June 8, 1789, and after some revisions and approval by both houses, the final ten amendments were ratified by the states on December 15, 1791
. Madison's work on the Bill of Rights was influenced by earlier documents such as the Virginia Declaration of Rights, primarily written by George Mason, as well as suggestions from state ratifying conventions. Although Madison initially opposed the need for a bill of rights, he came to see its importance in securing support for the new Constitution and protecting fundamental freedoms such as speech, religion, and due process
. In summary, James Madison is recognized as the chief architect and author of the Bill of Rights.
