ARTICLES in addition to, and Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America ... These amendments were ratified December 15, 1791, and form what is known as the "Bill of Rights." ...

The First Amendment is widely considered to be the most important part of the Bill of Rights. It protects the fundamental rights of conscience—the freedom to believe and express different ideas ...

The 16th Amendment gave Congress the power to lay and collect federal taxes. It was passed in 1909 and ratified in 1913. Following the Civil War, the tax was repealed, but a new income tax was ...

He made reference to a period prior to the 16th Amendment when the government was financed by tariffs rather than income ...