Which document outlines the rights of individuals against government power?

The Bill of Rights is a crucial document in American history that specifically outlines the rights and freedoms guaranteed to individuals and places limitations on government power. Ratified in 1791, it consists of the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, explicitly safeguarding various civil liberties such as the freedom of speech, religion, and the press, as well as the right to bear arms and protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.

The significance of the Bill of Rights lies in its role as a foundational legal framework that ensures personal freedoms and serves as a check on governmental authority. It aims to protect citizens from potential abuses of power by the government, ensuring that individual rights are not infringed upon.

In contrast, the Articles of Confederation primarily established the framework for the early governance of the United States but did not explicitly define individual rights. The Constitution itself provides the overall structure of the federal government and its powers but lacks a specific enumeration of individual rights until the Bill of Rights was added. The Federalist Papers, while outlining the rationale behind the Constitution and advocating for its ratification, do not serve as a declaration of individual rights, rather they focus on the principles of governance and the importance of a strong central government.