Which document's principles inspired the crafting of the Bill of Rights?

The principles that inspired the crafting of the Bill of Rights are most closely aligned with the ideals and framework outlined in the U.S. Constitution itself.

The Bill of Rights, consisting of the first ten amendments to the Constitution, was developed in response to calls for greater protection of individual liberties and the limitation of government power. As the Constitution established the structure of the federal government, it also set the stage for the recognition of fundamental rights that were deemed essential to safeguard personal freedoms and ensure the rights of citizens against potential government overreach.

This connection is particularly significant since the Constitution was drafted with the intention of creating a strong central government, which raised concerns among some that individual rights could be compromised. As a result, the Bill of Rights was introduced to specifically enumerate and protect those individual liberties, reflecting the foundational principles of the U.S. Constitution itself.

In contrast, the Articles of Confederation primarily focused on the functions of the state governments with minimal federal authority and did not include explicit protections for individual rights. The Declaration of Independence, while foundational in asserting the principles of liberty and self-governance, does not outline a specific framework for governance. The Federalist Papers were a series of articles promoting the ratification of the Constitution and while they discussed