Which statement about the Bill of Rights history is correct?

Which statement about the Bill of Rights history is correct?

• A. It was ratified by 3/4 of the states in 1776.
• B. It was passed by Congress in 1789 and ratified by 1791 by 3/4 of the existing 13 states.
• C. It was never ratified.
• D. It required unanimous approval by all states.

Answer: (B)

Amendment ratification hinges on a broad, supermajority from the states, not unanimous consent. The Bill of Rights was proposed by Congress in 1789 and then had to be ratified by three-fourths of the states. With 13 states at the time, that meant 10 states needed to ratify. By December 1791, ten amendments were ratified, making the Bill of Rights the first ten amendments to the Constitution. This timeline and the 3/4 requirement match the statement that Congress acted in 1789 and ratification occurred by 1791 by the necessary fraction of states. The other options misstate the dates or the level of consensus required (1776 predates the Constitution, unanimity was not required, and it was indeed ratified).

Amendment ratification hinges on a broad, supermajority from the states, not unanimous consent. The Bill of Rights was proposed by Congress in 1789 and then had to be ratified by three-fourths of the states. With 13 states at the time, that meant 10 states needed to ratify. By December 1791, ten amendments were ratified, making the Bill of Rights the first ten amendments to the Constitution. This timeline and the 3/4 requirement match the statement that Congress acted in 1789 and ratification occurred by 1791 by the necessary fraction of states. The other options misstate the dates or the level of consensus required (1776 predates the Constitution, unanimity was not required, and it was indeed ratified).