On December 20, 1803, William C.C. Claiborne, Governor of the Mississippi Territory and one of the commissioners appointed to take possession of Louisiana from France, participated in the ceremonial exchange of the territory to the United States. Gov. Claiborne wrote to Secretary of State James Madison to announce the official transfer and notify Sec. Madison that a U.S. flag was raised over the city. Letter to James Madison, Secretary of State, Announcing the Surrender of Louisiana to the United States by France, 12/20/1803, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives (ARC 306704)
Pop-upView Separately

On December 20, 1803, William C.C. Claiborne, Governor of the Mississippi Territory and one of the commissioners appointed to take possession of Louisiana from France, participated in the ceremonial exchange of the territory to the United States. Gov. Claiborne wrote to Secretary of State James Madison to announce the official transfer and notify Sec. Madison that a U.S. flag was raised over the city.

Letter to James Madison, Secretary of State, Announcing the Surrender of Louisiana to the United States by France, 12/20/1803, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives (ARC 306704)

On June 8, 1789, Representative James Madison of Virginia introduced a series of proposed amendments to the newly ratified U.S. Constitution. That summer the House of Representatives debated the issue and on August 24 passed seventeen proposed constitutional amendments. The Senate then took up the matter — they altered and consolidated the House amendments into 12. This printed document reflects the Senate’s changes as passed on September 14, 1789. The line-outs on the first, third and eighth articles indicate wording that had been amended in conference committee on September 24, 1789. Twelve articles of amendment were then sent to the states — articles three through twelve were ratified and became the Bill of Rights in 1791.

Proposed Amendments to the Constitution as passed by the Senate, 9/14/1789, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 2173242)

On June 1, 1812, President James Madison sent Congress a message asking for a declaration of war with Great Britain. The House adopted the war resolution on June 4 by a vote of 79-49, and it was then sent to the Senate for approval. The Senate made amendments to the House war resolution, and voted in favor of the changes on June 17, 19-13. On June 18 the House approved the amendments. President Madison signed the declaration of war on June 18. 

Senate Amendments to the House Declaration of War, HR 12A-B3, 6/17/1812, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives

House Approval of the Senate Amendments to the House Declaration of War, HR 12A-B3, 6/18/1812, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives

As you can imagine, we make a big deal about celebrating the Bill of Rights here at the National Archives. Most people are awed by what the Bill of Rights says and what it means to our country, but they often forget that the Bill of Rights was created by Congress through the same legislative process used to create thousands of other pieces of legislation.

Here is the story behind today’s document:

Just after the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1789, Congress began considering a series of amendments introduced by Representative James Madison of Virginia. The House debated his proposal during the summer of 1789, and on August 24 the House passed seventeen amendments to be added to the Constitution. The Senate then deliberated over the amendments, suggesting revisions to, or marking-up, the House-passed amendments. The documents above reflect the Senate’s changes to the amendments. Notes written in pen as the Senate deliberated show a series of revisions that included consolidating some amendments and rejecting others, changes that reduced the overall list to twelve amendments. Once both houses of Congress reached an agreement about the final text of the amendments through a conference committee, the Bill of Rights was sent to the states for ratification. On December 15, 1791, the Bill of Rights was ratified by Virginia. Virginia’s ratification was the eleventh and final state needed for articles three through twelve to be officially added to the Constitution. Happy Bill of Rights day, everyone!

Senate revisions of the House proposed amendments to the U.S. Constitution, 9/9/1789, SEN 1A-C2, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 3535588)