Eleanor Finch
The United States Constitution has been amended 27 times since it was signed on September 17, 1787, and ratified on June 21, 1788. The process of amending the Constitution is detailed in Article Five, which outlines a two-step process requiring proper proposal and ratification before an amendment becomes operative. Amendments can be proposed and sent for ratification by Congress, or by a national convention called by Congress on the application of two-thirds of state legislatures. To become part of the Constitution, an amendment must be ratified by three-quarters of state legislatures. Since 1789, there have been approximately 11,848 proposals to amend the Constitution, with members of the House and Senate proposing around 200 amendments during each two-year term of Congress.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Amendments to the US Constitution | 27 |
| Number of Amendments proposed by US Congress | 33 |
| Number of proposals to amend the Constitution since 1789 | ~11,848 |
| Average number of proposals during each two-year term of Congress | 200 |
| Number of amendments proposed by Congress that have become part of the Constitution | 27 |
| Number of amendments proposed by Congress that have not been ratified by the required number of states | 6 |
| Number of amendments that are still pending | 4 |
| Number of amendments that have failed | 2 |
| Date the first 10 amendments were ratified | December 15, 1791 |
| Date the US Constitution was signed | September 17, 1787 |
| Date the US Constitution was ratified | June 21, 1788 |
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What You'll Learn
- There have been 27 amendments to the US Constitution
- ,848 proposals to amend the Constitution have been introduced since 1789
- The first 10 amendments, ratified in 1791, are known as the Bill of Rights
- The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments are the Reconstruction Amendments
- Article Five outlines the two-step process for amendments
There have been 27 amendments to the US Constitution
To become part of the Constitution, an amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of the states, typically within seven years from the date of its submission. The Archivist of the United States administers the ratification process, and upon successful ratification, the amendment becomes operative. Notable amendments include the Reconstruction Amendments (13th, 14th, and 15th), which abolished slavery and guaranteed citizenship and equal protection under the law.
The 18th Amendment, passed in 1919, prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liquors, but it was later repealed by the 21st Amendment in 1933. The 27th Amendment, ratified in 1992, was notable for being ratified 203 years after it was first proposed in 1789. It addressed the election of members of Congress and the timing of lawmaking.
The amendment process is designed to strike a balance between the need for change and stability in the nation's plan of government. While many proposals are introduced, most do not become part of the Constitution, with only about 20 proposals receiving a vote in recent decades.
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11,848 proposals to amend the Constitution have been introduced since 1789
The process of amending the US Constitution is detailed in Article Five of the US Constitution. Amendments must be properly proposed and ratified before becoming operative. Since 1789, there have been 11,848 proposals to amend the Constitution introduced in Congress.
The first step in the amendment process is for an amendment to be proposed and sent to the states for ratification. This can be done in two ways: by a two-thirds majority vote 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. The second step is for the proposed amendment to be ratified, or approved, by three-fourths of the states (38 states, as of 1959).
The process of amending the Constitution is deliberately challenging. Since 1789, there have been 11,848 proposals to amend the Constitution introduced in Congress. Of these, only 33 amendments have been proposed by Congress and sent to the states for ratification. Twenty-seven of these amendments have been ratified and are now part of the Constitution. The first ten amendments, known collectively as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. The most recent amendment, the 27th Amendment, was ratified in 1992, 203 years after it was first proposed.
The high number of proposals to amend the Constitution reflects the diverse range of topics and issues that have been considered over time. However, it is important to note that most proposals do not make it past the congressional committees to which they are assigned. Since 1999, only about 20 proposed amendments have received a vote by either the full House or Senate. This highlights the rigorous nature of the amendment process and the careful consideration required to modify the nation's plan of government.
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The first 10 amendments, ratified in 1791, are known as the Bill of Rights
The United States Constitution has had 27 amendments since it was put into operation on March 4, 1789. Approximately 11,848 proposals to amend the Constitution have been introduced in Congress since that date.
The first 10 amendments, ratified on December 15, 1791, are known as the Bill of Rights. These amendments were proposed by the First Congress of the United States on September 25, 1789, and ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures. The Bill of Rights forms the basis of many civil liberties in the United States.
The amendments included in the Bill of Rights are as follows:
- Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.
- Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.
- The right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
- The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
- The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.
- The right to a speedy trial and the right to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation.
- The right to a trial by jury in civil cases.
- The right to be free from excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishments.
- The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated.
- The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
The Bill of Rights was designed to protect the fundamental rights of Americans and prevent the federal government from overreaching its powers. These amendments have been instrumental in shaping American law and governance, and they continue to be cited in legal and political debates today.
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The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments are the Reconstruction Amendments
The US Constitution has been amended 27 times since it was ratified on 21 June 1788. The process of amending the Constitution is detailed in Article Five of the United States Constitution. Amendments must be properly proposed and ratified before becoming operative.
The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, also known as the Reconstruction Amendments, were ratified between 1865 and 1870. These amendments were essential to reuniting the United States during Reconstruction, and they provided the constitutional basis for enforcing and implementing Reconstruction legislation. The 13th Amendment abolished slavery in the entirety of the United States and granted Congress the right to enforce this legislation. The 14th Amendment ensured that the Bill of Rights applied to all citizens of the United States, regardless of race, and guaranteed birthright citizenship, due process, and equal protection under the law. The 15th Amendment secured voting rights for Black men, making it illegal to refuse them the right to vote based on race or previous conditions of servitude.
The Reconstruction Amendments were written and ratified by the Republican Party in the 1860s, with the Democrats in opposition. These amendments remain controversial, with some seeking loopholes to disenfranchise people of colour and others turning to them as a bulwark for racial justice and equity.
In the years following the Reconstruction Amendments, Southern state legislatures created segregation laws, or Jim Crow laws, to circumvent the demands of the 14th Amendment. They also crafted voting restrictions that targeted Black people, such as literacy tests and poll taxes. Despite these challenges, the Reconstruction Amendments remain an important part of the Constitution, providing a foundation for racial equality and justice in the United States.
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Article Five outlines the two-step process for amendments
The United States Constitution has been amended 27 times since it was put into operation on March 4, 1789. The first ten amendments, known collectively as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791.
Once an amendment has been proposed, it must be ratified by three-quarters of state legislatures (38 since 1959). This can be done either by the legislatures of three-quarters of states, or by special ratifying conventions in three-quarters of states, as determined by Congress. Since the early 20th century, Congress has occasionally stipulated a deadline of seven years for ratification, as affirmed in 1939 by the Supreme Court in Coleman v. Miller.
Once an amendment has been ratified, the Archivist of the United States issues a certificate confirming that it has become an operative part of the Constitution.
Amendments cover a wide range of topics, from prohibiting the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors, to protecting citizens' rights to free speech, peaceable assembly, and security of their persons, houses, papers, and effects.
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Frequently asked questions
There have been 27 amendments to the US Constitution, beginning with the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments, ratified on December 15, 1791.
Approximately 11,848 proposals to amend the Constitution have been introduced in Congress since 1789.
Amendments must be properly proposed and ratified before becoming operative. An amendment may be proposed and sent to the states for ratification by the US Congress, whenever a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives deem it necessary. To become part of the Constitution, an amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of the states.
The First Congress of the United States proposed 12 amendments to the Constitution on September 25, 1789. Ten of these were ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures on December 15, 1791.
The 27th Amendment was the most recent amendment to the Constitution. It was ratified in 1992, 203 years after it was first proposed.
