Today we celebrate the anniversary of the first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights (ratified December 15, 1791). Here’s what you need to know!

When James Madison spoke to the First Congress he proposed nearly 20 amendments as a Bill of Rights, and not the 10 we all know about. So what did Congress delete from the final list that was ratified by the states?

During the 1787 Constitutional Convention, two Georges commanded much attention at Philadelphia: George Washington and his Virginia neighbor, George Mason. In the end, Mason refused to sign the new Constitution, an act that led in part to the Bill of Rights becoming a reality.

On September 25, 1789, the First Congress made a highly-anticipated move in arguably the most important congressional session in history, when it agreed on a list of constitutional amendments known as the Bill of Rights.

On June 28, 2010, a deeply divided Supreme Court upholds gun-ownership rights within homes on a national basis, expanding on a 2008 decision applying to the District of Columbia.

On June 10, 1968, the Court ruled that a police officer may stop and search a citizen on the street if the officer has "reasonable suspicion" that the citizen is armed or involved in a crime.

On June 8, 1789, James Madison addressed the House of Representatives and introduced a proposed Bill of Rights to the Constitution. More than three months later, Congress would finally agree on a final list to present to the states.

Here are eight key facts about this enduring testament to liberty and freedom!

On August 12, 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt nominated then-Senator Hugo Black of Alabama to the Supreme Court.

On February 13, 1689, Parliament in London allowed two new monarchs to take the throne if they honor the rights of English citizens. What became known as the English Bill of Rights was an important influence on the later American Constitution.