The Bill of Rights is the first ten Amendments to the Constitution of the United States. It spells out Americans’ rights in relation to their government. It guarantees civil rights and liberties to the individual—like freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion.

The Bill of Rights also sets rules for due process of law and reserves all powers not delegated to the federal government to the people or to the states. And it specifies that “the enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.”

In New Hampshire, as in all states, the Bill of Rights provides the foundational civil liberties and rights that protect individuals from government overreach. These first ten Amendments to the U.S. Constitution guarantee freedoms such as speech, press, and religion, and ensure due process of law. The Tenth Amendment, in particular, reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states or the people, which underpins the principle of federalism that is central to the state-federal relationship. New Hampshire's own constitution, which predates the U.S. Constitution, also enshrines similar protections for its citizens. It is important to note that while federal law, including the Bill of Rights, supersedes state law, states can provide more expansive rights to their citizens, but not less. Therefore, the rights guaranteed under the Bill of Rights serve as a minimum standard of protection in New Hampshire.