What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?

The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution are collectively known as the Bill of Rights. These amendments were ratified in 1791 and serve to protect individual liberties and rights against government encroachment. The Bill of Rights addresses essential freedoms such as freedom of speech, religion, and assembly, the right to bear arms, and protection against unreasonable search and seizure, among others.

This foundational element of American democracy emphasizes the importance of civil liberties and has played a crucial role in American legal and political history. It was introduced to ensure that the rights of citizens were clearly defined and safeguarded, reflecting the concerns of many Founding Fathers about potential government overreach.

The other options pertain to different aspects of American history. The Articles of Confederation were the first governing document of the United States, outlining a weak federal government. The Federalist Papers are a series of essays promoting the ratification of the Constitution, and the Magna Carta is an English document that influenced the development of constitutional law but is not related to the U.S. Constitution.