What is the significance of the Bill of Rights?

The Bill of Rights is significant because it serves as a foundational document that explicitly enumerates the individual rights and liberties that are protected from government intrusion. This means it clearly outlines the limits on government power to ensure that fundamental rights such as freedom of speech, religion, assembly, and the press are preserved. By doing so, it acts as a safeguard for personal freedoms and reflects the principles of democracy that prioritize the protection of individual rights against potential overreach by the state.

The other options address different aspects of government structure and function. While checks and balances are crucial for preventing any one branch from becoming too powerful, they are not the primary focus of the Bill of Rights. The structure of the legislature is outlined in other parts of the Constitution, and the process for amending the Constitution is also detailed separately. Therefore, the unique contribution of the Bill of Rights lies in its direct assertion of personal freedoms and limitations on governmental authority.