What is the purpose of the Bill of Rights?

• A. To expand government surveillance powers.
• B. To establish federal authority over education.
• C. To outline the responsibilities of the judiciary.
• D. To protect individual rights and limit government power.

Answer: (D)

The main idea being tested is how the Bill of Rights protects individual liberties by limiting what the government can do. These first ten amendments were added to the Constitution to guard fundamental rights and prevent the new federal government from overstepping authority. They enshrine freedoms such as speech, religion, assembly, and the press, ensure due process and fair treatment in legal proceedings, and prohibit unreasonable searches and seizures, among other protections. All of this together creates a framework that constrains government power and provides a basis for individuals to challenge abuses.

This is why the option stating that the Bill of Rights protects individual rights and limits government power is the best choice. The other options misstate its purpose: it does not expand surveillance powers, it does not establish federal control over education (education is largely a state matter), and it does not lay out the judiciary’s duties; rather, it restricts government actions and empowers courts to uphold those rights.