Malcolm Rivera
In the history of the United States, there have been 27 amendments to the Constitution, with over 12,000 proposed. The process of passing a constitutional amendment is a complex one, and only a few have advanced to the ratification stage. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. Since then, amendments have been passed and ratified at various times, with the most recent amendment, the 27th, being ratified in 1992. In 1945, Franklin D. Roosevelt, who had won an unprecedented four presidential elections, died several months into his fourth term. This event led to the proposal of the 22nd Amendment in 1947, which limited future presidents to two terms. However, this amendment was not passed until 1951.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Amendments to the U.S. Constitution | 27 |
| Year the Constitution was ratified | 1789 |
| Number of Constitutional Amendments proposed in U.S. history | Over 12,000 |
| Number of Constitutional Amendments proposed in Congress each year | Hundreds |
| First 10 Amendments (Bill of Rights) Ratification Date | December 15, 1791 |
| 22nd Amendment | Limits future presidents to two terms |
| 23rd Amendment Ratification Date | March 29, 1961 |
| 24th Amendment | Bans poll taxes in federal elections |
| 25th Amendment | The vice president takes over the role of president if the president is removed from office, resigns, or dies |
| 14th Amendment Ratification Date | July 9, 1868 |
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What You'll Learn
No amendments were passed in 1945
The process of passing a constitutional amendment is a complicated one, and it is not surprising that so few amendments have been passed, given the high bar for ratification. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. The most recent amendment, the 27th Amendment, was ratified on May 7, 1992.
The 22nd Amendment, which limits presidents to two terms, was passed by Congress in 1947, two years after Franklin D. Roosevelt's death, after he won an unprecedented four presidential elections. It was ratified on February 27, 1951.
The 23rd Amendment, which ensures that Washington, D.C. has electors in the Electoral College, was proposed in 1959 and ratified on March 29, 1961. The 24th Amendment, which banned poll taxes in federal elections, was ratified on January 23, 1964, and the 25th Amendment, which states that the vice president will take over the role of president if the president is removed from office, resigns, or dies, was proposed in 1965 and ratified in 1967.
The U.S. Constitution has been amended many times since its ratification in 1789, but there was no amendment passed in 1945.
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The process of amending the US Constitution
Once an amendment is proposed, it must be ratified. If proposed by Congress, the amendment is sent to the states, and three-quarters of the states (38 out of 50) must ratify it for the amendment to become part of the Constitution. The Archivist of the United States, who heads the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), is responsible for administering the ratification process. The Archivist's certification of the legal sufficiency of ratification documents is final and conclusive.
The process of amending the Constitution is intentionally challenging, as the framers wanted to ensure the document's longevity. Amendments are reserved for significant changes that affect all Americans or secure the rights of citizens. For example, the Fourteenth Amendment, adopted in 1868, addressed citizenship rights and equal protection under the law, and formed the basis for landmark Supreme Court decisions such as Brown v. Board of Education and Loving v. Virginia.
In 1945, Congress began the process of passing the 22nd Amendment, which limited presidents to two terms. This was in response to Franklin D. Roosevelt winning an unprecedented four presidential elections.
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The First Amendment
The text of the First Amendment is as follows:
> "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
In 1945, the Supreme Court ruled on Bridges v. Wixon, which dealt with the First Amendment rights of aliens. The Court ruled that legal aliens had First Amendment rights and that Harry Bridges, an immigrant from Australia, could not be deported for his affiliation with the Communist Party. Justice William O. Douglas wrote the Court's majority opinion, stating that deportation deprived individuals of their right to live and work in the United States, and thus, "meticulous care must be exercised" to ensure that the procedure met "essential standards of fairness."
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The Second Amendment
No constitutional amendments were passed in 1945. However, in 1947, two years after the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was elected to an unprecedented four terms as president, Congress approved the Twenty-second Amendment, which limits presidents to two terms.
In the 20th century, the National Rifle Association (NRA) emerged as a powerful advocate for the Second Amendment. In 1977, the organization's leadership underwent a shift, with activists from the Second Amendment Foundation and the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms taking power. The NRA's new leadership embraced the idea that the Second Amendment was sacred, and the organization became increasingly ideological and political. By 1980, the NRA had given its first-ever presidential endorsement to Ronald Reagan, who had written in support of the Second Amendment in "Guns & Ammo" magazine.
In the 21st century, the Second Amendment has continued to be a topic of academic and judicial interest. In District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), the Supreme Court ruled that the amendment protects an individual's right to keep a gun for self-defense. This was a landmark decision, as it was the first time the Court had explicitly stated that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual's right to own a gun. The Court further clarified the amendment's scope in McDonald v. Chicago (2010) and Caetano v. Massachusetts (2016), reinforcing its protection of gun rights in the United States.
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The Third Amendment
No amendments to the U.S. Constitution were passed in 1945. However, the Third Amendment, which is one of the least controversial and least cited sections of the Constitution, is worth discussing.
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Frequently asked questions
Over 12,000 constitutional amendments have been proposed, but only 27 have been ratified.
The first amendment is arguably the most famous and important. It states that Congress can pass no law that impacts Americans' freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.
The 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, granted women in the US the right to vote.
No constitutional amendments were passed in 1945. However, the 22nd Amendment, which limits presidents to two terms, was passed in 1947 following Franklin D. Roosevelt's unprecedented four terms as president. Roosevelt died several months into his fourth term in 1945.
