The Bill of Rights is an extraordinary collection of original documents, carefully introduced and put into context by historian John Patrick, that traces the origins of the Bill of Rights back to England's Magna Carta and its legal traditions through to present day controversies over freedoms of speech, religion, bearing arms, assembling, and more. Examples of challenges to the Bill of Rights include:

* The Sedition Act of 1798, which made it illegal to express criticism of the U.S. government
* The internment of Japanese Americans during World War II * George W. Bush's Executive Order of November 13, 2001, expanding the government's authority against individuals when terrorism is suspected.