What was the purpose of the Bill of Rights?

The purpose of the Bill of Rights is fundamentally centered around the protection of individual liberties and the limitation of government power. Ratified in 1791 as the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights was designed to ensure that certain basic rights, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press, as well as protections against unreasonable searches and seizures and the rights of the accused, would not be infringed upon by the federal government.

This limitation serves to safeguard citizens against potential tyranny or overreach by their government, reflecting the framers' desire to create a system of checks and balances. The Bill of Rights was a crucial response to concerns raised about the absence of explicit protections for individual freedoms in the original Constitution, thereby establishing a framework that secures personal liberties against governmental abuse.

In contrast, the other options do not align with the primary intent of the Bill of Rights. Outlining state responsibilities and establishing a strong military are not the focus of this document, nor does the Bill of Rights pertain to declaring independence, which was a matter addressed by the Declaration of Independence, not by amendments to the Constitution.