What is the primary purpose of the Bill of Rights?

The primary purpose of the Bill of Rights is to protect individual liberties. This collection of first ten amendments to the United States Constitution was ratified to ensure that specific rights and freedoms of individuals are explicitly safeguarded from government infringement. These rights include freedoms such as speech, religion, assembly, and the press, as well as protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, self-incrimination, and cruel and unusual punishment, among others.

By outlining these individual liberties, the Bill of Rights serves as a crucial check on government power, ensuring that citizens are afforded fundamental rights that must be respected and preserved. This intent was particularly significant at the time of ratification, as many people feared that a strong central government could lead to tyranny.

The other options focus on different aspects of government and its functions, but they do not capture the essence of the Bill of Rights. Establishing government power pertains to the broader framework of the Constitution itself, defining the structure of Congress refers specifically to legislative organization and duties, and regulating commerce is related to economic activities and trade but does not address the individual rights that the Bill of Rights is primarily concerned with.