Jonah Patel
The United States Constitution has been amended 27 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 together on December 15, 1791. Since then, amendments have been proposed by Congress and sent to the states for ratification. The process of amending the Constitution has been refined over time, with Congress gaining the authority to set ratification deadlines and the Archivist of the United States administering the ratification process. The amendments to the Constitution cover a range of topics, including the right to keep and bear arms, the prohibition of alcohol, and the election of the President.
| 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 failed | 2 |
| First 10 Amendments | Ratified December 15, 1791 |
| Number of proposals to amend the Constitution introduced in Congress since 1789 (as of January 3, 2019) | 11,848 |
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What You'll Learn
There are currently 27 amendments to the US Constitution
The amendments to the Constitution cover a range of topics, including individual rights, the powers of the federal government, and the election of the President and Vice President. For example, the First Amendment protects freedom of speech, religion, and the press, while the Second Amendment guarantees the right to keep and bear arms. The Eighteenth Amendment, ratified in 1919, established the prohibition of alcohol, but it was later repealed by the Twenty-first Amendment in 1933.
The process of amending the Constitution has been used to address issues such as the prohibition of alcohol and the election of the President. The Seventh Amendment, for instance, guarantees the right to a trial by jury in civil cases, while the Nineteenth Amendment grants women the right to vote. The Twenty-second Amendment, ratified in 1951, limits the President to two terms in office.
The most recent amendment to the Constitution is the 27th Amendment, which was proposed in 1789 but not ratified until 1992. This amendment addresses congressional compensation and stipulates that any change in the salary of members of Congress will only take effect following the next election of representatives. While there have been no new amendments added to the Constitution in recent years, there have been numerous proposals. Since 1789, approximately 11,848 proposals to amend the Constitution have been introduced in Congress, with members typically proposing around 200 amendments during each two-year term.
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The first 10 amendments were ratified together in 1791
The United States Constitution has been amended 27 times since it was first signed in 1787 and ratified in 1788. The first 10 amendments, known collectively as the Bill of Rights, were all ratified together on December 15, 1791.
The Bill of Rights was proposed by Congress on September 25, 1789, just over a year after the Constitution was ratified. The 10 amendments were then ratified simultaneously on December 15, 1791, and became an official part of the Constitution. This was a significant moment in American history, as the Bill of Rights outlined fundamental rights and freedoms for all citizens, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to bear arms.
The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the right to peacefully assemble and petition the government. It prohibits the government from establishing an official religion or prohibiting the free exercise of religion. The Second Amendment protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms, and the Third Amendment prohibits the quartering of soldiers in civilian homes 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 provides for a speedy trial, the right to an impartial jury, and the right to confront accusers and obtain witnesses. The Seventh Amendment guarantees the right to a trial by jury in 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 clarifies that powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved for the states or the people. These amendments form the basis of many civil liberties enjoyed by Americans today and have had a significant impact on the development of US law and governance.
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Six amendments have been adopted but not ratified
There have been 27 amendments to the US Constitution, beginning with the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments, ratified on December 15, 1791. Since the Constitution was put into operation on March 4, 1789, 33 amendments have been proposed by the US Congress and sent to the states for ratification.
Six amendments have been adopted by Congress and sent to the states but have not been ratified by the required number of states. Four of those amendments are still pending, one is closed and has failed by its own terms, and one is closed and has failed by the terms of the resolution proposing it.
The first of these unratified amendments is the proposed child-labor amendment, which was submitted to the states during the first session of the 68th Congress in June 1924. It stated that "Congress shall have the power to limit, regulate, and prohibit the labour of persons under 18 years of age." The second is the equal rights amendment, which formally died on June 30, 1982, after a disputed congressional extension of the original seven-year period for ratification. The third is the proposed amendment relating to representation in Congress for the District of Columbia, which failed to be ratified by the required number of states by the 1985 expiration date.
The Corwin Amendment, approved by Congress in 1861, is another failed amendment that did not get ratified by three-fourths of the states. It guaranteed the right of states that legalized slavery to maintain "persons held to labour or service by the laws of said State." Two states (and possibly a third) ratified this amendment, which was passed by Congress just two days before Abraham Lincoln became President.
The last time an amendment was approved by Congress but failed to be ratified was the District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment, which was passed in 1978 and expired unratified in 1985.
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The Eighteenth Amendment was repealed by the Twenty-first Amendment
The Eighteenth Amendment, which established the prohibition of alcohol in the United States, was ratified on January 16, 1919. It was the result of decades of efforts by the temperance movement, which believed that banning the sale of alcohol would reduce poverty and societal problems such as drunkenness, disorder, and violence.
However, the Eighteenth Amendment proved to be largely ineffective. While there was an initial decline in alcohol consumption, particularly among low-income groups, the act was unable to prevent the mass distribution of alcoholic beverages. This was due to the rise of illegal alcohol distribution channels such as speakeasies, bootlegging, and illegal distilling operations. The amendment also inadvertently caused a massive increase in organised crime. As a result, public sentiment turned against Prohibition during the 1920s, and a political movement for its repeal grew.
The Twenty-first Amendment, which repealed the Eighteenth Amendment, was proposed by Congress on February 20, 1933, and ratified by the requisite number of states on December 5, 1933. It is the only amendment to have been ratified by state ratifying conventions and the only amendment to repeal a prior amendment. The Twenty-first Amendment modified the Volstead Act to permit the sale of beer and ended national prohibition.
The decision to repeal a constitutional amendment was unprecedented and marked a significant shift in the country's approach to alcohol regulation. It acknowledged the ineffectiveness of Prohibition and the need to address the associated rise in crime and other social issues. This repeal highlights the dynamic nature of the U.S. Constitution, which allows for amendments to be modified or repealed to better reflect the changing needs and values of society.
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The US Congress has proposed almost 12,000 amendments
The US Constitution is composed of a preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. Since then, 17 more amendments have been added, the most recent of which was ratified in 1951.
In total, Congress has proposed almost 12,000 amendments since 1789. This averages out to around 200 proposals every two years. Despite this, none of the proposals made in recent decades have become part of the Constitution. In fact, since 1999, only about 20 proposed amendments have received a vote by either the full House or Senate.
The process of amending the Constitution was designed to strike a balance between the need for change and the importance of stability. An amendment must be properly proposed and ratified before becoming operative. It can be proposed by Congress, with a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, or by a national convention called by Congress on the application of two-thirds of state legislatures. Once an amendment is sent to the states for ratification, the Archivist of the United States is responsible for administering the process.
The high number of proposed amendments highlights the active role of Congress in shaping the Constitution and responding to the evolving needs of the nation. While not all proposals succeed, the process ensures that the Constitution remains a living document, open to interpretation and revision to reflect the values and priorities of each generation.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 27 amendments to the US Constitution.
Approximately 11,848 proposals to amend the Constitution have been introduced in Congress since 1789.
Six amendments have been proposed by Congress and sent to the states but have not been ratified by the required number of states.
