Malcolm Rivera
The United States Constitution, written in 1787 and ratified in 1788, is the world’s longest-surviving written constitution. Since it became operational in 1789, the Constitution has been amended 27 times. Amendments must be properly proposed and ratified before becoming operative. Approximately 11,848 proposals to amend the Constitution have been introduced in Congress since 1789, covering numerous topics.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of times the constitution has been amended since 1789 | 27 times |
| Number of amendments proposed by the United States Congress | 33 |
| Number of amendments ratified by the required number of states | 27 |
| Number of amendments that are still pending | 4 |
| Number of amendments that have failed | 2 |
| Number of proposals to amend the constitution since 1789 | Approximately 11,848 |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution has been amended 27 times since 1789
To become part of the Constitution, an amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of the states. Since the Constitution was put into operation on March 4, 1789, there have been approximately 11,848 proposals to amend it. The first ten amendments, known collectively as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791. They offer specific protections of individual liberty and justice and place restrictions on the powers of the government within the US states.
The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments are known as the Reconstruction Amendments. The 15th Amendment ensured voting rights for Black men, while the 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, gave voting rights to all American women for the first time. The 25th Amendment clarifies what happens upon the death, removal, or resignation of the President or Vice President. The 26th Amendment prohibits the government from denying the right of US citizens, 18 years of age or older, to vote on account of age.
The last time a proposal gained the necessary two-thirds support in both the House and the Senate for submission to the states was the District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment in 1978. Six amendments adopted by Congress and sent to the states have not been ratified by the required number of states. Four of those amendments are still pending, one has failed by its terms, and one has failed by the terms of the resolution proposing it.
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The first 10 amendments are the Bill of Rights
The US Constitution has been amended 27 times since 1789, with the first 10 amendments being known as the Bill of Rights. These amendments were proposed by Congress on September 25, 1789, and ratified on December 15, 1791.
The Bill of Rights was strongly influenced by the Virginia Declaration of Rights, written by George Mason, as well as English documents such as the Magna Carta, the Petition of Right, the English Bill of Rights, and the Massachusetts Body of Liberties. James Madison wrote the amendments to limit government power and protect individual liberties.
The First Amendment prohibits Congress from making laws that establish a religion or restrict the free exercise of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the right to assemble and petition the government.
The Second Amendment states that a well-regulated militia is necessary for the security of a free state, and that the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
The Third Amendment prohibits the quartering of soldiers in civilian homes without the owner's consent, except in designated places and manners prescribed by law.
The Fourth Amendment protects citizens' right to be free from unreasonable government intrusion in their homes by requiring a warrant for searches and seizures based on probable cause.
The Fifth Amendment provides several protections for people accused of crimes, including the right to due process of law, protection against double jeopardy, and protection against self-incrimination.
The Sixth Amendment provides additional protections for people accused of crimes, including the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury, the right to confront witnesses, and the right to legal representation.
The Seventh Amendment extends the right to a jury trial in Federal civil cases.
The Eighth Amendment prohibits excessive bail and fines and cruel and unusual punishment.
The Ninth Amendment states that the listing of specific rights in the Constitution does not deny or disparage other rights retained by the people.
The Tenth Amendment states that the Federal Government only has the powers delegated to it by the Constitution, and that all other powers are reserved to the states or the people.
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Amendments 13, 14 and 15 are the Reconstruction Amendments
The US Constitution has been amended 27 times since 1789. Amendments 13, 14, and 15, 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, while the 14th Amendment granted citizenship to all people born in the US and ensured due process and "equal protection of the laws" under federal and state governments. The 15th Amendment gave Black Americans the right to vote by prohibiting voting discrimination based on "race, colour, or previous condition of servitude".
The Reconstruction Amendments also granted Congress the power to enforce the amendments' provisions through federal legislation. The 14th Amendment, for example, eliminated the three-fifths rule and punished any state that did not permit male citizens over the age of 21 to vote by reducing its proportional representation. It also barred those who "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" or "gave aid or comfort to the enemies" of the United States from holding public office unless Congress voted to remove this prohibition.
The 14th and 15th Amendments were designed to integrate formerly enslaved Black Americans into society. However, after Reconstruction ended in 1877, Southern states ignored the 15th Amendment and passed laws that stripped Black Americans of their civil rights. It wasn't until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s that the federal government fully enforced the 14th and 15th Amendments.
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Amendments are proposed by Congress or a national convention
The process of amending the US Constitution is outlined in Article Five of the Constitution. This process involves two steps: proposing and ratifying amendments. Amendments can be proposed by either the US Congress or a national convention.
For the US Congress to propose an amendment, a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives is required. This process has been utilized numerous times, with approximately 11,848 proposals to amend the Constitution introduced in Congress since 1789. Members of the House and Senate collectively propose around 200 amendments during each two-year term of Congress.
The other method for proposing amendments is through a national convention. This involves Congress calling for a convention on the application of two-thirds of state legislatures (34 states since 1959). However, this method has never been used. Some scholars argue that states may push Congress to propose an amendment on a specific issue by applying for an Article V convention.
While the convention method has not been utilized, there have been calls for an Article V Convention to address various issues, such as the balanced budget amendment. In recent years, individuals like Michael Farris, Lawrence Lessig, Sanford Levinson, and Mark Levin have advocated for state governments to call for such a convention to "rein in the federal government."
Once an amendment is proposed, either by Congress or a national convention, it must be ratified to become part of the Constitution. Ratification requires approval by three-fourths of the states (38 states since 1959), achieved through state legislatures or state conventions.
In summary, while amendments can be proposed by Congress or a national convention, the latter method has not been utilized in practice. The US Congress has been the primary avenue for proposing amendments, with thousands of proposals introduced since 1789, although only 27 amendments have been successfully ratified and incorporated into the Constitution.
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Only 27 of 11,000+ proposed amendments have been ratified
The United States Constitution has been amended 27 times since 1789, but over 11,000 amendments have been proposed. The process of amending the Constitution is outlined in Article Five of the Constitution, which details a two-step process requiring proper proposal and ratification. Amendments can be proposed by a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and House of Representatives or by a national convention called by Congress on the application of two-thirds of state legislatures. This second option has never been used.
To become part of the Constitution, an amendment must be ratified by three-quarters of the states. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791. These amendments include the right to freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to keep and bear arms.
Since the Bill of Rights, 17 amendments have been added to the Constitution. One of these, the 18th Amendment establishing Prohibition, was later repealed. The last amendment passed was the 27th Amendment, ratified in 1992, which bars Congress from giving itself a pay raise during its current session.
The process of amending the Constitution is challenging, with a high bar for a proposed amendment to make it to the ratification process. Most proposals die in congressional committees, and only about 0.3% of proposed amendments have received approval by Congress or a state convention. Some notable "unusual" amendments that have not been ratified include a proposal to rename the United States as "the United States of the Earth," and a proposal to outlaw millionaires.
Amendment History: Understanding the 27th's Addition
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Frequently asked questions
27 times.
Approximately 11,848.
27.
6.
Amendments must be proposed and ratified before becoming operative. This can be done by a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and House of Representatives, or a national convention called by Congress on the application of two-thirds of state legislatures. To become part of the Constitution, an amendment must then be ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures.
