What is the difference between the Constitution and the Bill of Rights?

• A. The Constitution structures the government; the Bill of Rights protects individual rights and limits government power
• B. The Constitution lists individual rights
• C. The Bill of Rights sets up the federal government
• D. The Constitution establishes the church

Answer: (A)

The difference is that the Constitution sets up and organizes the government, while the Bill of Rights protects individual liberties and limits government power. The Constitution explains how the government is structured—the three branches, how they share or limit power, and how states interact—along with rules for making laws and running the country. The Bill of Rights, added soon after, lists protections for personal freedoms such as speech, religion, the right to a fair trial, and protections against unreasonable searches, acting as a shield against government overreach. This addition came from concerns about protecting rights and ensuring ratification of the new framework. The other statements don’t fit because the Constitution isn’t simply a list of rights, the Bill of Rights does not set up the federal government, and the Constitution doesn’t establish a church.