New York Adopts a State Bill of Rights, January 19, 1787

The first State Constitution, adopted in 1777, left some issues unaddressed. These had to be remedied in the next few years.

The document guaranteed freedom of religion but not other rights.

This omission was addressed by legislation a decade later, which guaranteed protection of free speech and press,  trial by jury, the right to petition the government, due process of law, taxes could be levied only with the people’s consent, and other freedoms.

The original Bill of Rights was later expanded, included in subsequent revisions of the state constitution, and is  the predecessor of the Bill of Rights in the state constitution today.