Re “Many of our personal freedoms we take for granted today - freedom of speech, the press, assembly and religion, the right to bear arms, and other rights - began on this day in 1791 following Virginia’s vote.”
The good intentions of the author notwithstanding, that is incorrect!
Our rights are GOD GIVEN! God has never not existed; and, the rights He gave us have existed since we first existed. They were not granted by some piece of paper that happened to come into existence in 1791! The Constitution merely serves as a buffer to help protect us from a government that may wish to deprive us from using our God given rights. It grants nothing!