What part of the Constitution guarantees individual rights?

The Bill of Rights is the section of the Constitution that specifically guarantees individual rights. This collection of amendments, ratified in 1791, includes the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution and is designed to protect essential freedoms such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press, as well as the right to assemble, bear arms, and receive a fair trial.

This part of the Constitution was created in response to calls from several states for greater constitutional protection for individual liberties. By explicitly enumerating these rights, the Bill of Rights serves to limit the powers of the federal government and ensure that specific individual protections are in place, safeguarding citizens from potential government infringement on their freedoms.

The other sections of the Constitution, such as the Preamble, the Amendments in general (beyond the first ten), and the Articles, do not specifically focus on individual rights in the same manner as the Bill of Rights. The Preamble serves as an introductory statement outlining the purpose of the Constitution but does not enumerate rights. The Articles primarily set up the structure of the government and its powers, and while subsequent Amendments do expand rights and protections, the foundational individual rights are contained within the Bill of Rights.