What was a main reason for including the Bill of Rights in the Constitution?

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The inclusion of the Bill of Rights in the Constitution primarily arose from the Antifederalist criticism of the original document. The Antifederalists were concerned that the Constitution granted too much power to the federal government and did not provide sufficient protections for individual liberties. They argued that, without explicit guarantees of rights, citizens would be vulnerable to government overreach.

To address these concerns and facilitate the ratification of the Constitution, Federalists promised that a Bill of Rights would be added that would enumerate and protect certain fundamental rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and assembly, as well as rights related to legal protections and due process. This commitment helped to alleviate fears regarding potential abuses of power by the federal government and was pivotal in securing the support necessary for ratification. Thus, the inclusion of the Bill of Rights can be directly linked to the demands raised by Antifederalists during the constitutional debate.

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