Over the ensuing decades and centuries, to be sure, the Bill of Rights has ascended to an elevated region in the American imagination. But in its own time, and in Madison's mind, it was only an essential epilogue that concluded a brilliant campaign to adjust the meaning of the American Revolution to a national scale.
In the years following the American Revolution, the Bill of Rights became a vital symbol in the American cultural landscape. Over time, it has gained significant importance, often seen as a foundational element of American democracy. However, during its creation, its role was perceived differently; it served primarily as a concluding statement to a broader effort to redefine the Revolution’s ideals on a national level.
Joseph J. Ellis highlights that for...
