Question 86

To protect the rights of individuals

The purpose of the Bill of Rights is primarily to safeguard individual liberties against potential infringement by the government. It serves as a fundamental framework ensuring that citizens have certain inalienable rights.

A) To enhance the power of the federal government

This option is incorrect as the Bill of Rights was created to limit governmental power, not enhance it. It explicitly outlines the rights that the federal government cannot violate, thereby acting as a check on its authority.

B) To protect the rights of individuals

This option is correct because the Bill of Rights enumerates specific rights and freedoms that are guaranteed to individuals, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the right to bear arms. Its primary aim is to protect these rights from government encroachment.

C) To define enumerated powers

This option is incorrect as the Bill of Rights does not focus on defining the powers of the government, but rather on protecting the rights of individuals. Enumerated powers are typically outlined in the main body of the Constitution rather than in the Bill of Rights.

D) To guarantee equal protection under the law

While this concept is crucial in legal contexts, it is not the primary purpose of the Bill of Rights. Equal protection is more directly addressed in the Fourteenth Amendment, which was ratified later and does not form part of the original Bill of Rights.

E) To list the concurrent powers of states

This option is incorrect because the Bill of Rights does not concern itself with state powers. Rather, it focuses on individual rights and the limitations placed on the federal government, leaving discussions of state powers to other parts of the Constitution.

Conclusion

The Bill of Rights is fundamentally designed to protect individual liberties, making option B the definitive correct choice. All other options either misinterpret the purpose of the Bill of Rights or reference concepts that fall outside its primary focus, which is ensuring the rights of individuals against government infringement.