Omar Bennett
The United States Constitution has been amended 27 times since it was signed on September 17, 1787. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. Since then, Congress has passed 23 additional amendments, of which 17 have been ratified. The process of amending the Constitution is outlined in Article V, which requires a proposal to be adopted by two-thirds of both houses of Congress or by a national convention requested by two-thirds of state legislatures. For an amendment to become part of the Constitution, it must be ratified by three-fourths of the states (38 of 50 states). The last amendment to be ratified through this method was the Twenty-first Amendment in 1933, which repealed the Eighteenth Amendment and ended the prohibition of alcohol.
| 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 |
| Number of proposals to amend the Constitution introduced in Congress since 1789 (as of January 3, 2019) | 11,848 |
| Number of amendments by Congress since the Bill of Rights was adopted in 1791 | 23 |
| Number of amendments ratified by states since the Bill of Rights was adopted in 1791 | 17 |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution has 27 amendments
The US Constitution has been amended 27 times since it was signed on September 17, 1787. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. Since then, Congress has passed 23 additional amendments, with 17 of them being ratified by the states.
The process of amending the Constitution is outlined in Article V. A proposal for an amendment must be adopted by two-thirds of both houses of Congress or by a national convention requested by two-thirds of the state legislatures. Once the proposal has passed, Congress decides on the method of ratification. The proposed amendment and the ratification method are sent to the Office of Federal Register, which submits it to the states.
For an amendment to become part of the Constitution, it must be ratified by three-fourths of the states (38 states since 1959). This can be done through state legislatures or state ratifying conventions in three-fourths of the states. The Twenty-first Amendment, ratified in 1933, is the only amendment to be ratified through the convention method. It repealed the Eighteenth Amendment, which established the prohibition of alcohol.
The US Constitution has been amended to address various issues, including the election process, slavery, and individual rights. The 12th Amendment, ratified in 1804, mandated separate votes for president and vice president, while the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, known as the Reconstruction Amendments, addressed slavery and its consequences. The 17th Amendment gave the people the right to elect senators, and other amendments have expanded individual rights, such as the right to vote for women.
The Founding Fathers intended the Constitution to be flexible and adaptable to the changing needs of the country. As such, the document has been amended multiple times to reflect the evolving values and requirements of American society.
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Amendments must be ratified by 38 states
The United States Constitution has been amended 27 times since it was signed on September 17, 1787. The procedure for amending the Constitution is outlined in Article V. Amendments to the Constitution can be proposed by two-thirds of both houses of Congress or by a national convention requested by two-thirds of the state legislatures. Once a proposal has been passed, Congress decides whether the proposed amendment will be ratified by state legislatures or state ratifying conventions.
For an amendment to become part of the Constitution, it must be ratified by three-fourths of the states (38 states since 1959). This can be done through the legislatures of three-fourths of the states or state ratifying conventions in three-fourths of the states. The Archivist of the United States is responsible for administering the ratification process.
The Twenty-first Amendment, ratified in 1933, is the only amendment to be ratified by state conventions. It repealed the Eighteenth Amendment, which established the prohibition of alcohol. Congress has also enacted statutes governing the constitutional amendment process, including setting a ratification deadline of seven years from the date of submission to the states.
The first ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified simultaneously on December 15, 1791. Since then, Congress has passed 23 additional amendments, with 17 of them being ratified by the states. The Reconstruction Amendments (the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments) and the 17th Amendment, which gave the people the right to elect senators, are other notable amendments that changed the election process.
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Amendments can be proposed by Congress or national convention
The procedure for amending the Constitution is outlined in Article V. Amendments can be proposed by two-thirds of both houses of Congress or by a national convention requested by two-thirds of state legislatures. Once a proposal has been passed by either method, Congress decides on the method of ratification.
To date, the convention method of proposal has never been used. All 33 amendments have been proposed by Congress and sent to the states for ratification. Twenty-seven of these amendments have been ratified by the requisite number of states and are now part of the Constitution.
The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified simultaneously on December 15, 1791. Since then, Congress has passed 23 additional amendments, 17 of which have been ratified by the states. The Reconstruction Amendments (the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments) and the 17th Amendment, which gave Americans the right to elect senators, are among the most significant amendments passed since the Bill of Rights.
The process of amending the Constitution is deliberately designed to be challenging, reflecting the Founding Fathers' intention for the document to be flexible yet stable. The requirement for a supermajority in Congress or a national convention to propose an amendment, followed by ratification by three-fourths of the states, ensures that amendments have broad support and are carefully considered.
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The first 10 amendments are the Bill of Rights
The United States Constitution has been amended 27 times, with the first 10 amendments forming what is known as the Bill of Rights. These amendments were ratified on December 15, 1791, and were added to the Constitution to limit government power and protect individual liberties. James Madison, then a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, wrote the amendments, though several representatives objected, arguing that Congress had no authority to change the Constitution's wording. As a result, Madison's changes were presented as a list of amendments that would follow Article VII.
The First Amendment protects the freedom of speech, religion, and assembly, as well as the right to petition the government. It also prohibits the government from establishing a religion or abridging freedom of speech. The Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear arms, while the Third Amendment states that no soldier can be housed in a private home without the owner's consent, except as prescribed by law.
The Fourth Amendment protects citizens' right to privacy and freedom from unreasonable government intrusion, requiring a warrant for searches and seizures. The Fifth Amendment provides several protections for those accused of crimes, including the right to due process, protection against double jeopardy, and the right against self-incrimination. The Sixth Amendment offers additional protections for the accused, such as the right to a speedy and public trial, an impartial jury, and the right to legal representation.
The Seventh Amendment extends the right to a jury trial in Federal civil cases, while the Eighth Amendment prohibits excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishment. Finally, 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.
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The 13th, 14th and 15th amendments are the Reconstruction Amendments
The US Constitution has had 27 amendments, with the first 10, known as the Bill of Rights, being ratified in 1791.
The 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments: The Reconstruction Amendments
The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, also known as the Reconstruction Amendments, were ratified between 1865 and 1870. These amendments were added to the US Constitution following the Civil War and played a crucial role in ending slavery, guaranteeing citizenship and civil rights for African Americans, and expanding voting rights.
The 13th Amendment abolished slavery throughout the United States, building upon the Emancipation Proclamation. It also empowered Congress to enforce this prohibition through legislation.
The 14th Amendment ensured that the Bill of Rights applied to all citizens, regardless of race, and provided for due process and "equal protection of the laws" under federal and state governments. It eliminated the three-fifths rule and included provisions to punish states that denied male citizens over 21 the right to vote. Additionally, it barred individuals who had engaged in insurrection or given aid to enemies of the United States from holding public office without Congressional approval.
The 15th Amendment secured voting rights for Black men, making it illegal to deny them the right to vote based on race or previous servitude. This amendment addressed the issue of Black men being unable to vote in all states, despite the progress made by the previous amendments.
The Reconstruction Amendments were essential for reunifying the nation, and their adoption was a prerequisite for Confederate states to re-enter the Union. They provided the legal foundation for enforcing Reconstruction policies and passing legislation such as the Civil Rights Acts of 1866 and 1875, and the Enforcement Acts of 1870-71. These acts aimed to protect the rights of African Americans, address violence and intimidation against them, and end segregation.
Despite the progress, these amendments were met with resentment and resistance, leading to the creation of Black Codes and Jim Crow laws, which sought to circumvent the rights guaranteed by the Amendments.
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Frequently asked questions
There have been 27 amendments to the US Constitution, with the first 10 being ratified on December 15, 1791, and known as the Bill of Rights.
Since 1789, approximately 11,848 proposals to amend the Constitution have been introduced in Congress.
The procedure for amending the Constitution is outlined in Article V. A proposal for an amendment must be adopted by two-thirds of both houses of Congress or by a national convention requested by two-thirds of state legislatures. Once the proposal has passed, Congress decides on the method of ratification. The proposed amendment and method of ratification are sent to the Office of the Federal Register, which submits it to the states. For an amendment to become part of the Constitution, it must be ratified by three-fourths of the states (38 of the 50 states).
