How many amendments does the Bill of Rights contain?

The Bill of Rights contains a total of ten amendments, which were ratified on December 15, 1791. These amendments were added to the Constitution to protect individual freedoms and rights, addressing concerns from Anti-Federalists about the potential for government overreach. The first ten amendments outline essential rights such as the freedom of speech, religion, and the right to bear arms, as well as protections against unreasonable searches and seizures and guarantees of due process.

The option reflecting twelve amendments refers to the initial proposals that Congress considered, but ultimately only ten were ratified to form the Bill of Rights. The fifteen amendments option includes amendments that were added later on a range of topics beyond the foundational personal freedoms. The nine amendments option does not accurately capture the number of protections established in the Bill of Rights. Thus, the number ten is significant as it represents the foundational legal protections enshrined in the Constitution.