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The Constitution of the United States has been amended 27 times, with 33 amendments proposed by the US Congress. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. The process of amending the Constitution involves sending proposed amendments to the states for ratification, with the Archivist of the United States administering the process. Amendments must be ratified by a specified number of states within a set timeframe to become operative. The most recent amendment, added in 1992, was the 27th Amendment, concerning Congressional compensation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Amendments proposed by the United States Congress | 33 |
| Number of Amendments ratified | 27 |
| Number of Amendments pending | 4 |
| Number of Amendments that failed | 2 |
| First 10 Amendments | Ratified on December 15, 1791, and form the Bill of Rights |
| Number of Amendments proposed by the First Congress of the United States | 12 |
| Number of Amendments out of 12 that were ratified | 10 |
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What You'll Learn
The Bill of Rights
The United States Constitution has 27 amendments, with the first 10 being ratified simultaneously and known as the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights was ratified on December 15, 1791, and forms the basis of many fundamental rights and freedoms in the US.
The first amendment guarantees freedom of religion, speech, and the press, as well as the right to assemble peacefully and petition the government. The second amendment, ratified in 1992 as the 27th Amendment, relates to the right to keep and bear arms. The third amendment prohibits the quartering of soldiers in civilian homes during peacetime without consent. The fourth amendment protects citizens against unreasonable searches and seizures, while the fifth amendment guarantees due process of law, protects against self-incrimination, and prohibits double jeopardy.
The sixth amendment ensures the right to a fair trial, including the right to a speedy trial by an impartial jury and assistance of counsel. The seventh amendment guarantees the right to a trial by jury in certain civil cases, while the eighth amendment prohibits excessive bail, fines, and cruel and unusual punishments. The ninth amendment states that the rights not specifically enumerated in the Constitution are retained by the people, and the tenth amendment reinforces federalism by stating that powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved for the states or the people.
These amendments have had a significant impact on the development of US law and continue to shape legal interpretations and policies today. They form the foundation of many civil liberties and serve as a reminder of the importance of individual freedoms and limited government power.
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Amendments 11-27
The US Constitution has 27 amendments, with the first 10 being ratified simultaneously in 1791 and known as the Bill of Rights. Amendments 11-27 were added separately at different times.
Amendment XI
Passed by Congress on March 4, 1794, and ratified in 1795, Amendment XI established the legal doctrine of "sovereign immunity", which protects government entities or officers from being sued over the performance of their duties.
Amendment XII
Adopted in 1804, Amendment XII revised the procedures for using the Electoral College to elect the President and Vice President.
Amendment XVIII
Adopted in 1933, Amendment XVIII repealed the 1920 amendment that imposed Prohibition. It invalidated federal laws banning alcohol and gave the power to regulate alcohol back to the states.
Amendment XX
This amendment, passed by Congress in 1947 and ratified in 1951, limits the number of terms a person can serve as President of the United States to two.
Amendment XXIII
Passed by Congress in 1962 and ratified in 1964, Amendment XXIII gives the District constituting the seat of the US government the power to appoint electors of President and Vice President.
Amendment XXVII
Proposed in 1789 as part of the original Bill of Rights, Amendment XXVII took over 200 years to be ratified, finally becoming part of the Constitution in 1992.
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The Reconstruction Amendments
The Thirteenth Amendment, ratified in 1865, abolished slavery and involuntary servitude throughout the United States, except as punishment for a crime. This amendment represented a significant shift from the original Constitution, which had tacitly enshrined slavery through various provisions. The Fourteenth Amendment, adopted in 1868, addresses citizenship rights and equal protection under the law for all persons. It defines all people born in the United States as citizens and requires due process of law and equal protection for all. The Fourteenth Amendment transformed the Constitution from a document primarily focused on federal-state relations and property rights to one that guaranteed substantive freedom and protection against government misconduct for vulnerable minorities.
The Fifteenth Amendment, which became part of the Constitution in 1870, prohibited federal and state governments from denying any citizen the right to vote based on race, colour, or previous condition of servitude. While this amendment ensured voting rights for black men, it did not address other forms of disenfranchisement, such as those based on sex, property ownership, literacy, or poll taxes. The Reconstruction Amendments faced erosion by state laws and federal court decisions in the late 19th century, with their full benefits not realised until the mid-20th century with Supreme Court decisions and civil rights legislation.
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Ratification process
The Constitution of the United States has 27 amendments that have been ratified and are part of the Constitution. Since the Constitution was put into operation on March 4, 1789, 33 amendments have been proposed by the United States Congress and sent to the states for ratification.
The ratification process for amendments to the Constitution is outlined in Article V of the Constitution. Amendments can be proposed by Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the state legislatures. The latter method has not yet been used for any of the amendments. Once an amendment is proposed by Congress, it is sent to the states for ratification.
The Archivist of the United States, who heads the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), is responsible for administering the ratification process. The Archivist notifies the states' governors that an amendment has been proposed, and the governors then submit the amendment to their state legislatures. To become part of the Constitution, an amendment must be ratified by three-quarters of the states, or by ratifying conventions in three-quarters of the states. This latter method has only been used once in American history, for the ratification of the Twenty-First Amendment in 1933.
Once an amendment is ratified by the required number of states, the Archivist issues a certificate proclaiming that the amendment has become an operative 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 has been completed. In recent years, the signing of the certification has become a ceremonial function attended by various dignitaries, including sometimes the President.
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Congress's role
Congress plays a pivotal role in the amendment process of the United States Constitution. It has the power to propose amendments, which are changes or additions to the Constitution, the nation's foundational document outlining citizens' rights and the federal government's powers. Since the Constitution was enacted on March 4, 1789, Congress has proposed 33 amendments, 27 of which have been ratified and incorporated into the Constitution.
The process of proposing amendments in Congress is initiated by joint resolution, requiring a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Once an amendment is proposed, it is sent to the states for ratification, where it must be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures, or as directed by Congress, to become part of the Constitution. This process is administered by the Archivist of the United States, who issues a certificate proclaiming the amendment's adoption.
Congress has occasionally stipulated a ratification deadline, typically seven years from the date of submission to the states. This authority was affirmed by the Supreme Court in 1939. Without a deadline, an amendment can remain pending indefinitely, even after being proposed to the states.
The first ten amendments to the Constitution, known collectively as the Bill of Rights, were proposed by the First Congress and ratified simultaneously on December 15, 1791. These amendments protect fundamental rights and liberties, including freedom of speech, religion, and the press, as well as the right to peaceably assemble and petition the government.
Congress has continued to propose and ratify amendments throughout history, addressing a range of issues such as voting rights, presidential succession, and the electoral process. For instance, the 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, guarantees the right to vote regardless of race, colour, or previous servitude. The 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, ensures that citizens cannot be denied the right to vote based on their sex.
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Frequently asked questions
There have been 27 amendments to the US Constitution, the first 10 of which were ratified simultaneously and are known as the Bill of Rights.
For an amendment to be ratified, it must be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures. An amendment usually needs to be ratified within seven years of its submission to the states.
Approximately 11,848 proposals to amend the Constitution have been introduced in Congress. 33 amendments have been proposed by Congress and sent to the states for ratification, 27 of which have been ratified.
