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The US Constitution has been amended several times since it was first signed on September 17, 1787, and ratified on June 21, 1788. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. Since then, there have been 27 amendments in total, with over 11,000 proposals introduced in Congress since 1789. The process of amending the Constitution is governed by statutes enacted by Congress, which outline the steps for proposing, debating, and ultimately ratifying amendments.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Total Amendments | 27 |
| Amendments proposed | ~11,000-11,848 |
| First 10 Amendments | The Bill of Rights |
| 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments | Reconstruction Amendments |
| Amendments not ratified | 6 |
| Amendments pending | 4 |
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What You'll Learn
The first 10 amendments are the Bill of Rights
The US Constitution has 27 amendments, the first 10 of which are collectively known as the Bill of Rights. These amendments were ratified on December 15, 1791, and outline specific guarantees of personal freedoms and natural and legal rights.
The First Amendment prohibits Congress from making any laws that infringe on the freedom of religion, speech, or the press. It also guarantees the right to peaceably assemble and petition the government. The Second Amendment protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms, while the Third Amendment prohibits the quartering of soldiers in civilian homes without consent.
The Fourth Amendment protects citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures, requiring warrants to be supported by probable cause. The Fifth Amendment provides several protections for those accused of crimes, including the right against self-incrimination, protection from double jeopardy, and the right to just compensation for property. It also states that serious criminal charges must be started by a grand jury. The Sixth Amendment provides additional protections for those accused, including the right to a speedy and public trial, an impartial jury, and the right to confront witnesses.
The Seventh Amendment extends the right to a jury trial in federal civil cases, while the Eighth Amendment prohibits excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishment. The Ninth Amendment states that the listing of specific rights in the Constitution does not deny other rights retained by the people. Finally, the Tenth Amendment affirms that the federal government only has the powers delegated to it by the Constitution, with all other powers being reserved for the states or the people.
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11,000+ proposals since 1789
The US Constitution has seen a staggering number of proposed amendments since its inception in 1789. As of January 3, 2019, there have been approximately 11,848 proposals introduced in Congress, with members of the House and Senate typically proposing around 200 amendments during each two-year term. This averages out to around 100 proposals per year, showcasing the active role of Congress in seeking to refine and adapt the Constitution to the evolving needs of the nation.
The topics covered by these proposals are diverse and wide-ranging. While the majority of proposals fail to gain traction and die in congressional committees, a select few have progressed further in the amendment process. Since 1999, around 20 proposed amendments have received a vote by either the full House or Senate, indicating a higher level of support and consideration.
One notable example of a recent proposal that gained significant support was the District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment in 1978. This proposal was the last to secure the necessary two-thirds majority in both the House and the Senate for submission to the states. However, it ultimately fell short of the required ratification by the states to become an official part of the Constitution.
Despite the high volume of proposals, the US Constitution has only seen 27 successful amendments. The first 10 amendments, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791. These amendments form the foundation of individual liberties and freedoms in the United States. The remaining 17 amendments were added incrementally over the course of the nation's history, addressing various aspects of governance, civil rights, and societal changes.
The process of amending the Constitution is deliberately challenging, requiring supermajority support in Congress and ratification by a significant number of states. This ensures that any changes to the foundational document of the nation reflect the consensus of the American people and are not made lightly. The high number of proposals underscores the ongoing dialogue and debate surrounding the interpretation and evolution of constitutional rights and principles.
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27 amendments ratified
The US Constitution has been amended 27 times since it was ratified in 1788. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were passed in 1789 and ratified simultaneously on December 15, 1791.
The process of amending the Constitution involves proposals being introduced in Congress, followed by ratification by the requisite number of states. The first 10 amendments were adopted and ratified together, while subsequent amendments were ratified individually over time. The most recent amendment, the Twenty-Seventh Amendment, was ratified in 1992, more than two centuries after it was first proposed in 1789.
The amendments encompass various topics and rights that are fundamental to American law and society. For example, the First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion, speech, and the press, while the Twenty-Second Amendment limits presidents to two terms in office. The Twenty-Third Amendment gave residents of Washington, D.C., the right to vote in presidential elections, and the Twenty-Fourth Amendment removed voting booth fees, ensuring equal access to voting.
The process of amending the Constitution is not easy, and out of the thousands of proposals introduced in Congress, only a small fraction have become part of the Constitution. The high bar for ratification ensures that amendments reflect the consensus of a large majority of Americans and safeguard the principles upon which the nation was founded.
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13th, 14th, 15th = Reconstruction Amendments
The US Constitution has 27 amendments, the first 10 of which are collectively known as the Bill of Rights. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments are known as the Reconstruction Amendments or the Civil War Amendments. They were ratified between 1865 and 1870, in the five years immediately following the Civil War.
The 13th Amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. It was proposed in 1864 and ratified in 1865. While the Emancipation Proclamation ended slavery in the Confederacy, the 13th Amendment abolished it across the entirety of the United States.
The 14th Amendment addresses citizenship rights and equal protection under the law for all persons. It was proposed in 1866 and ratified in 1868. It ensured that the Bill of Rights applied to all citizens of the United States, regardless of race. It also eliminated the three-fifths rule and punished states that did not permit male citizens over 21 to vote by reducing their proportional representation.
The 15th Amendment prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on "race, colour, or previous condition of servitude". It was proposed in 1869 and ratified in 1870 as the third and final Reconstruction Amendment. This amendment secured voting rights for Black men, making it illegal to refuse them the right to vote based on race or previous servitude.
The Reconstruction Amendments were essential to reuniting the country during Reconstruction, and they provided the constitutional basis for enforcing and implementing Reconstruction policies. They were intended to guarantee the freedom and civil rights of the formerly enslaved and protect them and all citizens of the United States. However, their promise was eroded by state laws and federal court decisions throughout the late 19th century. It was not until the mid-20th century, with Supreme Court decisions like Brown v. Board of Education and laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, that the full benefits of these amendments were realised.
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Amendment process: Congress to states
The process to amend the US Constitution is outlined in Article V of the US Constitution. Congress can propose an amendment with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Alternatively, Congress can call a convention for proposing amendments at the request of two-thirds of state legislatures.
Once an amendment is proposed by Congress, it is sent to the states for ratification. The Archivist of the United States is responsible for administering the ratification process. The Archivist submits the proposed amendment to the states for their consideration by sending a letter of notification to each state governor along with informational material. The governors then formally submit the amendment to their state legislatures or call for a convention, depending on what Congress has specified.
For an amendment to become part of the Constitution, it must be ratified by three-quarters of the states (38 out of 50 states). When an amendment is ratified, the state sends the Archivist an original or certified copy of the state action, which is conveyed to the Director of the Federal Register. The Director examines the ratification documents for facial legal sufficiency and an authenticating signature. If the documents are in order, the Director acknowledges receipt and maintains custody of them.
Once the OFR verifies that it has received the required number of authenticated ratification documents, it drafts a formal proclamation for the Archivist to certify that the amendment is valid and has become part of the Constitution. This certification is published in the Federal Register and U.S. Statutes at Large, serving as official notice to Congress and the nation that the amendment process is complete.
Since the early 20th century, Congress has occasionally stipulated a deadline for ratification, requiring that an amendment be ratified by the requisite number of states within seven years of its submission to the states. Congress's authority to set a ratification deadline was affirmed by the Supreme Court in 1939. It is important to note that none of the 27 amendments to the Constitution have been proposed by a constitutional convention.
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Frequently asked questions
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 remaining 17 amendments were added at various times between 1795 and 1992.
Approximately 11,848 proposals to amend the Constitution have been introduced in Congress since 1789.
The process for amending the Constitution is as follows: a proposed amendment must be passed by a two-thirds majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. It is then sent to the states for ratification, where it must be ratified by three-quarters of the states to become an operative part of the Constitution.
No, only members of the House and Senate can propose amendments. However, state legislatures play a crucial role in the ratification process, as they vote on whether to ratify proposed amendments.
