The Bill of Rights and Additional Amendments

In 1791, the Constitution was amended to include ten amendments, which are commonly referred to as The Bill of Rights. These were the guarantees of individual liberty upon which critics of the Constitution had insisted. But changing times raise changing questions. What of black rights the right of former slaves to vote? And do women not share in that privilege? How many terms may a president serve? Throughout the Civil War, the Great Depression and two world wars, these and other issues were resolved through amendments to the Constitution. To date, 16 additional amendments have updated the Constitution. Each of the 26 amendments is presented in the unique historical context which gave it birth.