What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?

The first ten amendments to the Constitution are collectively known as the Bill of Rights. This term refers to the fundamental rights and freedoms that these amendments protect, including freedoms of speech, religion, assembly, the right to bear arms, protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, and the rights of the accused in criminal proceedings. The Bill of Rights was introduced in response to calls for greater constitutional protection for individual liberties and was adopted to ensure that certain rights are expressly recognized and safeguarded from government infringement.

In contrast, the Articles of Confederation represent the initial governing document of the United States before the Constitution was ratified, outlining a weak central government. The Federalist Papers are a series of essays promoting the ratification of the Constitution and discussing its principles, while the Preamble serves as the introduction to the Constitution, stating its purpose and guiding principles, but does not enumerate specific rights.