During the debates on the adoption of the Constitution, its opponents repeatedly charged that the Constitution as drafted would open the way to tyranny by the central government. Fresh in their minds was the memory of the British violation of civil rights before and during the Revolution. They demanded a "bill of rights" that would spell out the immunities of individual citizens. Several state conventions in their formal ratification of the Constitution asked for such amendments; others ratified the Constitution with the understanding that the amendments would be offered.
On September 25, 1789, the First Congress of the United States therefore proposed to the state legislatures 12 amendments to the Constitution that met arguments most frequently advanced against it. The first two proposed amendments, which concerned the number of constituents for each Representative and the compensation of Congressmen, were not ratified. Articles 3 to 12, however, ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures, constitute the first 10 amendments of the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights.
In an effort to prevent any alliances between the Cherokee Indians and the Mexicans, the Federal Government sent Sam Houston and John Forbes to the territories occupied by the Native Americans in order to negotiate the boundaries in which they could peacefully settle. These negotiations ended with a treaty on February 23, 1836. However, this document was rejected by the Senate because it considered the consultation had exceeded its powers by offering land grants to the Cherokees. Houston decided to disregard this and maintained the kept the treaty made with the Indians. However, President Mirabeau B. Lamar would ultimately agree with the Senate's interpretations and leave the treaty without effect.
