The first ten amendments of the U.S. Constitution are collectively known as what?

• A. The Constitution
• B. The Bill of Rights
• C. The Magna Carta
• D. The Federalist Papers

Answer: (B)

The first ten amendments are known as the Bill of Rights. These amendments were added to the U.S. Constitution to spell out fundamental rights and to limit the power of the federal government. Ratified in 1791, they protect freedoms such as speech, religion, and the press, along with rights to due process, a fair trial, and protection against unreasonable searches and cruel punishment. The name Bill of Rights specifically refers to these enumerated protections for individuals. The other options refer to different documents or writings—Magna Carta is a medieval English charter, and The Federalist Papers are essays about ratification—while the Constitution is the original framework itself, not this specific collection of amendments.