<P> Since the Constitution came into force in 1789 , it has been amended 27 times , including an amendment to repeal a previous one , in order to meet the changing needs of a nation that has profoundly changed since the eighteenth century . In general , the first ten amendments , known collectively as the Bill of Rights , offer specific protections of individual liberty and justice and place restrictions on the powers of government . The majority of the seventeen later amendments expand individual civil rights protections . Others address issues related to federal authority or modify government processes and procedures . Amendments to the United States Constitution , unlike ones made to many constitutions worldwide , are appended to the document . All four pages of the original U.S. Constitution are written on parchment . </P>
<P> Since the Constitution came into force in 1789 , it has been amended 27 times , including an amendment to repeal a previous one , in order to meet the changing needs of a nation that has profoundly changed since the eighteenth century . In general , the first ten amendments , known collectively as the Bill of Rights , offer specific protections of individual liberty and justice and place restrictions on the powers of government . The majority of the seventeen later amendments expand individual civil rights protections . Others address issues related to federal authority or modify government processes and procedures . Amendments to the United States Constitution , unlike ones made to many constitutions worldwide , are appended to the document . All four pages of the original U.S. Constitution are written on parchment . </P>
the bill of rights consists of the first -- -- -- -- amendments to the constitution
the bill of rights consists of the first -- -- -- -- amendments to the constitution
ten
ten