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The United States Constitution has been amended 27 times since it was put into operation on March 4, 1789. Over 11,000 amendments have been proposed, but only 27 have been ratified by the requisite number of states. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of amendments to the Constitution of the United States proposed by the United States Congress | 33 |
| Number of amendments to the Constitution of the United States proposed overall | 11,000+ |
| Number of amendments to the Constitution of the United States ratified | 27 |
| Number of amendments to the Constitution of the United States not ratified | 6 |
| Number of amendments to the Constitution of the United States known as the Bill of Rights | 10 |
| Number of amendments to the Constitution of the United States known as the Reconstruction Amendments | 3 |
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What You'll Learn
- The Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments, was ratified in 1791
- The Reconstruction Amendments, Amendments 13-15
- The Twenty-Second Amendment took almost four years to be ratified
- The Twenty-Seventh Amendment was pending before the states for 202 years
- Six amendments have not been ratified by the required number of states
The Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments, was ratified in 1791
The Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the US Constitution, was ratified in 1791. The amendments were proposed by Congress in 1789 and ratified on December 15, 1791. The Bill of Rights includes the right to freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the right to assemble and petition the government.
The US Constitution has been amended 27 times since it was put into operation on March 4, 1789. Thirty-three amendments have been proposed by Congress and sent to the states for ratification, but only 27 have been ratified by the requisite number of states. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified simultaneously and are considered part of the original Constitution.
The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments, known as the Reconstruction Amendments, were also ratified in the 19th century. The 22nd Amendment, which imposed term limits on the presidency, took almost four years to be ratified and was the longest pending amendment before the 27th Amendment, which took over 200 years.
The Process of Amendment Ratification: Who Holds the Power?
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The Reconstruction Amendments, Amendments 13-15
The Reconstruction Amendments were proposed and ratified in the aftermath of the Civil War, during the Reconstruction Era, to address the legacy of slavery and protect the rights of former slaves. The 13th Amendment abolished slavery, the 14th Amendment granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to all persons born or naturalised in the United States, and the 15th Amendment prohibited the denial of the right to vote based on race, colour, or previous condition of servitude.
The Reconstruction Amendments were a significant step forward in ensuring equal rights and protections for African Americans, but they did not immediately end discrimination or racial inequality in the United States. Despite the legal protections afforded by these amendments, African Americans continued to face widespread discrimination, violence, and disenfranchisement, particularly in the South, where Jim Crow laws and other forms of segregation persisted for decades.
The Reconstruction Amendments set a precedent for using constitutional amendments to address issues of social justice and civil rights. They also highlighted the ongoing struggle for racial equality and the need for continued efforts to ensure that the rights guaranteed by the Constitution are fully realised for all Americans, regardless of race or background.
Since the Reconstruction Amendments, there have been several other amendments proposed and ratified to further strengthen civil rights protections, including the 19th Amendment, which guaranteed women's suffrage, and the 24th Amendment, which prohibited the use of poll taxes in federal elections.
The Constitution's Ratification: A Historical Perspective
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The Twenty-Second Amendment took almost four years to be ratified
The Constitution of the United States has been ratified 27 times since it was put into operation on 4 March 1789. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791. The Twenty-Second Amendment took almost four years to be ratified. It was the longest pending amendment that was successfully ratified, taking 3 years and 343 days. The Twenty-Seventh Amendment was pending before the states for 202 years and 225 days.
More than 11,000 amendments to the Constitution have been proposed, but only 27 have been ratified. Thirty-three amendments have been proposed by the United States 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.
The Process of Ratifying the US Constitution
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The Twenty-Seventh Amendment was pending before the states for 202 years
The US Constitution has been ratified 27 times. The Twenty-Seventh Amendment was pending before the states for 202 years, 225 days. This is the longest period an amendment has been pending before ratification. The Twenty-Seventh Amendment was proposed by Congress in 1789, along with the first several Constitutional amendments. The first ten amendments were ratified simultaneously in 1791 and are known as the Bill of Rights. The Twenty-Seventh Amendment was finally ratified in 1992. It states that any change to the rules governing the compensation of members of Congress may not take effect until after the next election for Representatives.
The Twenty-Seventh Amendment was proposed and ratified much more recently than many other amendments. For example, the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, known as the Reconstruction Amendments, were adopted in 1865, 1866 and 1869 respectively. Six amendments have been proposed by Congress but not ratified by the required number of states. More than 11,000 amendments to the Constitution have been proposed in total.
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Six amendments have not been ratified by the required number of states
Since the Constitution was put into operation on March 4, 1789, thirty-three amendments to the Constitution of the United States have been proposed by the United States Congress and sent to the states for ratification. Twenty-seven of those, having been ratified by the requisite number of states, are part of the Constitution. The first ten amendments were adopted and ratified simultaneously and are known collectively as the Bill of Rights. The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments are collectively known as the Reconstruction Amendments.
The History of New Hampshire's Constitution Ratification
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution has been ratified 27 times.
More than 11,000 amendments have been proposed, but only 27 have been ratified.
The first 10 amendments were part of the Bill of Rights and were ratified in 1791.
Amendments 13-15 are known as the Reconstruction Amendments.
