Today in History
On November 20, 1789 New Jersey was the first state to ratify the Bill of Rights — the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. The Bill of Rights provides for matters such as free speech, religion, press and assembly; right to bear arms; the notion of probable cause as the guideline for obtaining a warrant to search a home; speedy and public trials; and the empowerment of each state with power not specifically given to the federal government. The Bill of Rights not only shapes and preserves individual freedoms it also provides for the autonomy of the individual states.
What is not commonly known is that the amendments were originally twelve in September 1789, but by the time the ratification process was completed there were only ten.