Omar Bennett
The United States Constitution has been amended 27 times since it was first put into operation on March 4, 1787. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791. Since then, thousands of amendments have been proposed, but only 27 have been ratified by the requisite number of states to become part of the Constitution. The process of amending the Constitution is complex and rigorous, and the requirements for ratification are stringent.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Total number of amendments proposed to the US Constitution | 11,848 |
| Number of amendments proposed by the US Congress and sent to states for ratification | 33 |
| Number of amendments ratified | 27 |
| Number of amendments that are still pending | 4 |
| Number of amendments that have failed | 2 |
| First 10 amendments known as | Bill of Rights |
| 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments known as | Reconstruction Amendments |
| Only amendment that explicitly repeals an earlier one | 21st Amendment |
| Amendment that repeals the 21st | 18th Amendment |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution has 27 amendments
The US Constitution, the supreme law of the United States, has been amended 27 times since it was first enacted. The process of amending the Constitution is outlined in Article Five of the US Constitution. Amendments must be properly proposed and ratified before becoming operative.
The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791. These amendments were proposed and ratified simultaneously and include the freedoms of speech, religion, and assembly, as well as the right to bear arms and the right to due process of law. The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments, known as the Reconstruction Amendments, were added following the Civil War to address issues related to slavery and citizenship.
The process of amending the Constitution has been used throughout US history to address evolving needs and circumstances. Amendments can be proposed by 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. To become part of the Constitution, an amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of the states, typically within seven years of being submitted to the states.
The last time an amendment was added to the Constitution was in 1971 with the ratification of the 26th Amendment, which lowered the voting age to 18 years old. While there have been no successful amendments since then, there have been thousands of proposals. As of January 3, 2019, approximately 11,848 proposals to amend the Constitution have been introduced in Congress since 1789.
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The first 10 amendments are the Bill of Rights
The United States Constitution has been amended 27 times since it was put into operation on March 4, 1789. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. These amendments were proposed following a bitter debate over the ratification of the Constitution and were written to address objections raised by Anti-Federalists. They add to the Constitution specific guarantees of personal freedoms and legal rights.
The First Amendment prohibits the government from establishing a religion or inhibiting the free exercise thereof, as well as protecting freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the right to assemble and petition the government. The Second Amendment guarantees the right to keep and bear arms. The Third Amendment prohibits the quartering of soldiers in civilian homes without consent. The Fourth Amendment protects citizens against unreasonable searches and seizures, requiring warrants to be supported by probable cause.
The Fifth Amendment provides several protections for people accused of crimes, including the right to a grand jury, protection against double jeopardy, protection against self-incrimination, and the right to due process of law. 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 and be represented by a lawyer. The Seventh Amendment extends the right to a jury trial in federal civil cases. 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 not explicitly mentioned. The Tenth Amendment reinforces federalism by stating that powers not delegated to the federal government by the Constitution are reserved for the states or the people. These first ten amendments form the foundation of individual liberties and federalism in the United States.
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Amendments must be proposed and ratified
The process of amending the Constitution involves two critical steps: proposal and ratification. This two-step process, outlined in Article Five of the United States Constitution, is designed to balance the need for change with stability. Amendments can be proposed in two ways: by a two-thirds majority vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, or through a national convention called by Congress upon the request of two-thirds of state legislatures. This second option, however, has never been utilised.
Once an amendment is proposed, it is sent to the states for ratification. Ratification requires the approval of three-fourths of the states, achieved through either their legislatures or state ratifying conventions. The Twenty-first Amendment, ratified in 1933, is the only amendment to date that has been ratified through state conventions. It is also notable for repealing the Eighteenth Amendment, which established the prohibition of alcohol.
The process of amending the Constitution is not a simple task, as evidenced by the high thresholds required for both proposal and ratification. Since 1789, over 11,000 proposals have been introduced in Congress, yet only 27 amendments have been successfully ratified and incorporated into the Constitution. The first 10 amendments, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified simultaneously in 1791.
While the majority of proposed amendments fail to make it through the congressional committees, some have come close. The District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment, proposed in 1978, was the last proposal to gain the necessary two-thirds support in both the House and the Senate for submission to the states. However, it ultimately fell short of the required number of state ratifications.
The process of amending the Constitution is a deliberate and challenging endeavour, ensuring that any changes to the nation's foundational document reflect a broad consensus and are carefully considered.
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The Eighteenth Amendment prohibited alcohol
The Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which prohibited alcohol, was proposed by Congress on December 18, 1917, and ratified by the requisite number of states on January 16, 1919. It was the result of decades of effort by the temperance movement, which argued that banning alcohol would eliminate poverty and improve societal issues such as immoral sexual behaviour and violence. The movement also believed that prohibition would inspire new forms of sociability, create happier families, reduce workplace accidents, and improve the world.
The Eighteenth Amendment established the prohibition of alcohol in the United States, making the production, transport, and sale of intoxicating liquors illegal. However, it did not outlaw possession or consumption. To define the language used in the amendment, Congress enacted the National Prohibition Act, better known as the Volstead Act, on October 28, 1919. The Volstead Act declared that liquor, wine, and beer qualified as intoxicating liquors and were prohibited. It also allowed the licensed production, use, and sale of alcohol for certain industrial, medicinal, religious, and scientific purposes, subject to state or local restrictions.
The Eighteenth Amendment came into effect on January 17, 1920, one year after it was ratified by the states. Although it led to a decline in alcohol consumption, enforcing Prohibition nationwide proved challenging. Alcohol smuggling and illicit bars became prevalent, and public sentiment began to turn against Prohibition during the 1920s. Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 1932 Democratic presidential nominee, called for its repeal.
The Eighteenth Amendment was eventually repealed by the Twenty-first Amendment on December 5, 1933, making it the only constitutional amendment in American history to be repealed. There have been 27 amendments to the Constitution, with the Eighteenth Amendment being the only one that has been explicitly repealed by another amendment.
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The Twenty-first Amendment repealed the Eighteenth
The Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution repealed the Eighteenth Amendment, which had enforced a nationwide prohibition on alcohol. The Eighteenth Amendment was ratified on January 16, 1919, after years of advocacy by the temperance movement. The subsequent enactment of the Volstead Act established federal enforcement of the nationwide prohibition on the manufacture, distribution, and sale of alcoholic beverages.
However, Prohibition proved to be highly unpopular, with many Americans continuing to drink, leading to the rise of organised crime and a profitable black market for alcohol. As a result, a political movement for the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment grew, and on February 20, 1933, the 72nd Congress proposed the Twenty-first Amendment, which was ratified by the requisite number of states on December 5, 1933.
The Twenty-first Amendment is unique among the 27 amendments of the U.S. Constitution, as it is the only one to repeal a prior amendment and the only amendment to be ratified by state ratifying conventions. It ended national prohibition and gave states the authority to regulate their own prohibitory practices.
Section 1 of the Twenty-first Amendment expressly repeals the Eighteenth Amendment, while Section 2 bans the importation of alcohol into states and territories that have laws prohibiting the importation or consumption of alcohol. Several states continued to be "dry states" in the years after the repeal, and some still closely regulate alcohol distribution today.
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Frequently asked questions
There have been 27 amendments to the US Constitution.
Approximately 11,848 proposals to amend the Constitution have been introduced in Congress since 1789.
Amendments must be proposed and ratified before becoming operative. An amendment may be proposed 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. To become part of the Constitution, an amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of the states.
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