What document outlines the rights and freedoms of individuals in the United States?

The document that specifically outlines the rights and freedoms of individuals in the United States is the Bill of Rights. Ratified in 1791 as the first ten amendments to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights explicitly enumerates various individual liberties, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the right to bear arms, among others.

This set of amendments was designed to protect the rights of individuals from government overreach, providing a safeguard for personal freedoms and ensuring that the government could not infringe upon these rights without due process. The Bill of Rights serves as a fundamental pillar of American democracy, reflecting the core principles of individual liberty and justice.

While the Constitution as a whole outlines the framework of government and includes provisions for governance, it is the Bill of Rights that specifically focuses on individual rights. The Declaration of Independence articulates philosophical principles about government and individual rights but does not function as a legal document establishing rights. The Federalist Papers are a collection of essays that support the ratification of the Constitution, but they do not enumerate rights in the way the Bill of Rights does.