Eleanor Finch
The United States Constitution is a living document that has been amended several times since its inception. Amendments are changes made to the Constitution to address issues or clarify existing provisions. There have been 27 amendments to the US Constitution, with over 11,000 proposals introduced in Congress since 1789. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791 and cover a range of fundamental rights and freedoms. Amendments can be proposed by Congress and sent to the states for ratification, with the Archivist of the United States administering the process. The last amendment, the 27th, was ratified in 1992 and addressed congressional salary changes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Amendments | 27 |
| Number of Proposed Amendments | Over 11,000 |
| Number of Proposed Amendments (since 1789) | 11,848 |
| Number of Proposed Amendments per Congress Term | 200 |
| Number of Amendments Proposed in Recent Decades that have Become Part of the Constitution | 0 |
| Number of Amendments Proposed Since 1999 that have Received a Vote | 20 |
| First 10 Amendments | Known as the Bill of Rights |
| 21st Amendment | Only amendment that explicitly repeals an earlier one (the 18th Amendment) |
| 23rd Amendment | Ensures Washington, D.C. has electors in the Electoral College |
| 24th Amendment | Bans poll taxes in federal elections |
| 25th Amendment | States that the vice president takes over if the president is removed/resigns/dies |
| 26th Amendment | Gives all citizens over 18 the right to vote |
| 27th Amendment | Changes to Congress salaries cannot take effect until the next election |
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What You'll Learn
- The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights
- The 23rd Amendment ensures Washington D.C. has electors in the Electoral College
- The 24th Amendment bans poll taxes in federal elections
- The 25th Amendment outlines the VP taking office if the president is removed/resigns/dies
- The 27th Amendment: changes to salaries of Congress cannot take effect until the next election
The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights
There have been 27 amendments to the US Constitution. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791.
The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution to limit government power and protect individual liberties. James Madison wrote the amendments, which were strongly influenced by the Virginia Declaration of Rights, written by George Mason, as well as English documents such as the Magna Carta, the Petition of Right, and the English Bill of Rights.
The First Amendment prohibits Congress from making laws that establish a religion or restrict the free exercise of religion, abridge the freedom of speech, infringe on the freedom of the press, or interfere with the right to assemble peacefully and petition the government.
The Second Amendment states that "a well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
The Third Amendment states that "no Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law."
The Fifth Amendment provides several protections for people accused of crimes, including the right to a grand jury for serious criminal charges, protection against double jeopardy, and protection against self-incrimination and the taking of property without just compensation.
The Sixth Amendment provides additional protections to people accused of crimes, including the right to a speedy and public trial, an impartial jury, and the right to confront witnesses and be represented by a lawyer.
The Seventh Amendment extends the right to a jury trial in Federal civil cases, while the Eighth Amendment bars excessive bail and fines and cruel and unusual punishment.
The Ninth Amendment states that listing specific rights in the Constitution does not mean that people do not have other rights that are not explicitly spelled out.
The Tenth Amendment states that the Federal Government only has the powers delegated to it in the Constitution.
Influential Documents: First Amendment's Origins
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The 23rd Amendment ensures Washington D.C. has electors in the Electoral College
The United States Constitution has 27 amendments, the first 10 of which are known as the Bill of Rights and were ratified in 1791. Since then, over 11,000 amendments have been proposed, but only 17 more have been ratified.
The 23rd Amendment, ratified in 1961, ensures that Washington D.C. has electors in the Electoral College. The District of Columbia, or Washington D.C., is the nation's capital and the seat of the United States government. It was established by Congress in 1790 and has been home to the White House, the Supreme Court, both houses of Congress, and many federal government agencies. Despite this, Washington D.C. is not a state and, therefore, was not entitled to any electors before the 23rd Amendment.
The 23rd Amendment grants Washington D.C. electors in the Electoral College as if it were a state. However, the district can never have more electors than the least populous state. The number of electors is equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress that the district would have if it were a state. These electors vote for the Presidential candidate who won in their state, except in Maine and Nebraska, where they assign electors proportionately.
The first presidential election in which Washington D.C. participated was in 1964, and since then, the district has consistently had three members in the Electoral College. This is the constitutionally implied minimum number to which the district is entitled, as its population has never reached the threshold for more.
The passing of the 23rd Amendment was a significant step in recognising the rights of citizens in Washington D.C., who, despite paying federal taxes and serving in the armed forces, had been unable to vote in presidential elections for centuries. The amendment addressed this anomaly, ensuring that citizens of the district had the same rights and obligations as citizens of other states.
Civil War Amendments: Constitution's Evolution
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The 24th Amendment bans poll taxes in federal elections
There have been 27 amendments to the US Constitution, with the first 10, known as the Bill of Rights, being ratified in 1791.
The 24th Amendment, also known as the "Elimination of Poll Taxes", prohibits both Congress and the states from requiring the payment of a poll tax or any other tax as a condition for voting in federal elections. The Amendment was proposed by Congress to the states on August 27, 1962, and was ratified on January 23, 1964.
The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any election for President, Vice President, or for members of Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State due to the failure to pay any poll tax or other tax. The official text of the Amendment reads:
> "The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay poll tax or other tax. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."
The 24th Amendment was introduced to address the issue of poll taxes, which were used as a form of voter suppression, particularly targeting African Americans and poor whites in the South. The poll tax required voters to pay a fee to enter polling places and cast their ballots, effectively excluding those who could not afford to pay. Despite facing opposition, the Amendment was ratified relatively quickly, with President Lyndon B. Johnson praising it as "a triumph of liberty over restriction".
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The 25th Amendment outlines the VP taking office if the president is removed/resigns/dies
The United States Constitution has seen 27 amendments, the first 10 of which were ratified on December 15, 1791.
The 25th Amendment, or Amendment XXV, addresses issues related to presidential succession and disability. It clarifies that the vice president becomes president if the president dies, resigns, or is removed from office by impeachment. It also establishes the procedure for filling a vacancy in the office of the vice president.
The amendment provides for the temporary transfer of the president's powers and duties to the vice president, who becomes the acting president until the president's powers and duties are restored. This transfer can occur on the president's initiative or on the initiative of the vice president together with a majority of the president's cabinet.
The 25th Amendment was adopted on February 10, 1967, after being submitted to the states by the 89th Congress on July 6, 1965. It addressed ambiguities in Article II, Section 1, Clause 6 of the Constitution, which had created difficulties in the past. For example, in 1841, when William Henry Harrison died in office, there was uncertainty over whether Vice President John Tyler had become the acting president or had succeeded to the presidency. Tyler himself asserted the latter, refusing to acknowledge documents referring to him as "acting president".
Amendments: Our Rights and Freedoms
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The 27th Amendment: changes to salaries of Congress cannot take effect until the next election
There have been 27 amendments to the US Constitution, with the first 10, known as the Bill of Rights, being ratified in 1791.
The 27th Amendment, ratified on May 7, 1992, is the most recent addition to the Constitution. It states that no changes to the salaries of Congress members can take effect until after the next election. The official text is written as follows:
> No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of representatives shall have intervened.
The 27th Amendment was designed to prevent corruption in the Legislative Branch. It ensures that Congress members cannot increase their salaries before being voted out of office. The amendment's history dates back to 1789 when it was initially proposed as one of twelve potential amendments by Representative and future President James Madison. However, it was not ratified until over 200 years later due to the efforts of Gregory Watson, a student at the University of Texas at Austin, who argued that the amendment was still "live" and could be added to the Constitution.
While the 27th Amendment prohibits changes to Congressional salaries from taking effect until after an election, it does not affect cost-of-living adjustments issued by Congress. These fluctuations in salary, which are designed to meet cost-of-living requirements, are not bound by the same obligation as direct changes to Congressional pay.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 27 amendments to the US Constitution.
More than 11,000 amendments to the US Constitution have been proposed.
33 amendments to the US Constitution have been proposed by the US Congress.
6 amendments have been adopted by Congress but have not been ratified by the required number of states.
