On 2 October 1789, President George Washington took a pivotal step in shaping the young republic's future by transmitting the proposed constitutional amendments, famously known as the Bill of Rights, to the states for ratification.
These amendments, designed to safeguard individual freedoms and limit government power, addressed the concerns of many who feared that the new federal Constitution granted too much authority to the central government.
Washington’s act marked the beginning of a crucial process that would enshrine fundamental liberties such as freedom of speech, religion, and the right to a fair trial, ensuring the protection of individual rights that remains at the core of American democracy.
