The Origins of the Bill of Rights.

Traces the turbulent process of adoption of the Bill of Rights, advocated initially by antifederalists in the ratifying conventions. But the antifederalists then opposed it when Federalists (especially James Madison) led congressional efforts to adopt it. Its origin dates from the English Bill of Rights in 1689, although the British version offers far less protection from the intrusions of government. Fear of the tyrannical power of government, however, comes from Americans' English heritage, and the author explores the theories of government that spawned the idea of protecting people's rights.