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FROM ENCARTA 1999. Bill of Rights, first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, safeguarding fundamental individual rights against usurpation by the federal government and prohibiting interference with existing rights. The precedents for these stipulations came from three separate English documents: the Magna Carta, the Petition of Right, and the Declaration of Rights. Virginia, in 1776, and Massachusetts, in 1780, had incorporated bills of rights into their original constitutions, and these two states, with New York and Pennsylvania, refused to ratify the new federal Constitution unless it was amended to protect the individual. In 1790, Congress submitted 12 amendments, 10 of which were adopted in 1791 as Articles I through X. *************************************************************************************************************************************************** Sid , What you say is so true, however, people forget it took from July 4,1776 to 1791 to get the first 10 amendments to the Constitution ratified and adopted. The Bill of Rights is what makes the Constitution work. I wish I had been alive then to know if people were screaming for people to concede their rights and get on with the program, as they are now. I'm afraid that now, no matter who wins, the other side will feel they have been cheated. Like so many things in my life, I just wish I could go to bed, wake up and find that I just had a nightmare, and that these things aren't really happening!! just me, Marjorie At 03:00 AM 11/12/2000 -0500, you wrote: >It seems that ALL my Republican friends say, "The winner should be declared >NOW. It's in the Constitution." >It appears that all my Democrat friends say, "Everybody is entitled to a >vote. It's in the Constitution." >The Constitution was written without women having the right to vote. With >slavery a legal institution and you could only vote if you owned land. > >There is a Chinese proverb that says, "You should live in interesting times." >Well, we do!!! > >I believe that the American system is strong enough to exist with Wooden-head >Gore or Puddin-head Bush as President. It's handled a Republican President >who resigned in disgrace, a President we now know had Alzheimer's in office >and a Democratic president who committed gross adultery. >What more could you ask for to make our times "interesting." >I'm sure the Supreme Court will end u deciding this issue. >After all, it's in the constitution. (Or is it?) >Sid Levin