In anticipation of America’s 250th anniversary, we invite you to a continuing series of talks hosted by SERC archaeologist Jim Gibb, examining our country’s often bumpy road towards freedom and self-determination. This 9-part series will explore the evolution of the U.S. Constitution, in a sequel to the “Road To Independence”- series from spring 2025. The series will highlight the deficiencies of the initial Articles of Confederation, the refinement of such ideas as the sovereignty of the people and the development of our nation’s “owners’ manual,” the document that instructs government as to its role in American society and the U.S. Constitution’s constraints on government.
Some of the leading proponents of the U.S. Constitution refused, in the end, to sign it. One major impediment: no enumeration of rights. Commitment to amending the Constitution with a Bill of Rights ultimately led to its ratification. However, each of the first ten amendments in the Bill of Rights was brief and, in many respects, vague. Where did the concept of a bill or list or rights originate? Whose rights? How do we interpret those rights? In the final talk of the series, discover the origin story of ten major rights whose interpretation is still hotly debated today.
