A formal declaration of fundamental rights and freedoms that citizens possess, typically incorporated into a constitution to limit government power. It usually includes protections for speech, religion, assembly, and legal rights.
The term originated with England's Bill of Rights (1689), which limited royal power after the Glorious Revolution. 'Bill' here means a formal written statement, from Latin 'bulla' (seal), while 'rights' comes from Old English 'riht' (just, proper).
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