Jonah Patel
The Constitution of the United States has been amended 27 times since it was put into operation on March 4, 1789. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. An amendment can be proposed by Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the state legislatures. For an amendment to become part of the Constitution, it must be ratified by three-fourths of the states (38 states). The process of amending the Constitution is outlined in Article V of the Constitution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Amendments | 27 |
| First 10 Amendments | Ratified on December 15, 1791, and form what is known as the "Bill of Rights" |
| Amendment Proposal | Proposed by Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate |
| Ratification | Ratified by three-fourths of the states (38 since 1959) |
| Ratification Deadline | Ratified within seven years from the date of its submission to the states |
| Amendment Process | The Archivist of the United States administers the ratification process |
| Amendment Authority | Derived from Article V of the Constitution |
| Amendment Initiation | Proposed by Congress or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the state legislatures |
| Amendment Submission | Submitted to the Archivist of the United States, who heads the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) |
| Amendment Certification | Certified by the Archivist of the United States and published in the Federal Register |
| Notable Amendments | 18th Amendment (prohibition of alcohol), 19th Amendment (women's suffrage), 13th-15th Amendments (Reconstruction Amendments) |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution has had 27 amendments
The US Constitution is a powerful document that outlines the fundamental laws and principles of the country. Since its inception, it has been amended 27 times, with the first 10 amendments, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, being ratified on December 15, 1791. The process of amending the Constitution is a rigorous one, designed to ensure a balance between the need for change and stability.
The 15th Amendment, ratified on February 3, 1870, is a notable example of the power of amendments. It stipulates that all citizens of the United States have the right to vote, regardless of their race or skin colour, and also grants voting rights to former slaves. Another significant amendment is the 16th Amendment, ratified on February 3, 1913, which authorised Congress to collect income tax, a change from the previous system based on state population.
The 26th Amendment, ratified on July 1, 1971, lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, empowering younger citizens to participate in democracy. The most recent amendment, the 27th Amendment, addresses congressional salary changes, stipulating that any modifications should only take effect after the next election. This amendment faced a long journey to ratification, proposed in 1789 and finally ratified on May 7, 1992.
The US Constitution has witnessed over 11,800 proposals for amendments since 1789, with members of the House and Senate proposing around 200 amendments during each two-year term of Congress. However, the majority of these proposals fail to pass Congress or gain ratification by the states. The process of amending the Constitution is deliberate and rigorous, ensuring that any changes are thoroughly considered and supported before becoming operative.
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The first 10 amendments are the Bill of Rights
The first ten amendments to the US Constitution collectively form the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights became law on December 15, 1791, and was strongly influenced by the Virginia Declaration of Rights, 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 infringe on freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, the right to assemble, and the right to petition the government. The Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear arms. The Third Amendment prohibits the quartering of soldiers in civilian homes without consent. The Fourth Amendment protects citizens from unreasonable searches and arrests, requiring a warrant to be issued. The Fifth Amendment provides several protections for people accused of crimes, including protection against double jeopardy and self-incrimination, and guaranteeing the right to due process of law. The Sixth Amendment provides additional protections for the accused, including the right to a speedy and public trial, an impartial jury, and 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 other rights retained by the people that are not explicitly mentioned. The Tenth Amendment reserves powers not delegated to the federal government by the Constitution to the states or the people.
The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution to address concerns about government power. Federalists supported a strong national government, while Anti-Federalists wanted power to remain with state and local governments and sought to safeguard individual liberty through a bill of rights.
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Amendments must be ratified by three-fourths of states
The United States Constitution outlines the procedure for altering its provisions through amendments in Article Five. Amendments can be proposed by Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, or by a convention requested by two-thirds of state legislatures. Notably, the President does not have a constitutional role in the amendment proposal process.
Once an amendment is proposed, it must be ratified to become part of the Constitution. Ratification can occur through one of two methods, as determined by Congress:
- Ratification by state legislatures: The amendment must be ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the states (38 out of 50 states).
- Ratification by state ratifying conventions: Ratifying conventions must be conducted in three-fourths of the states. This method has only been used once in American history, for the ratification of the Twenty-First Amendment in 1933, which repealed the Eighteenth Amendment and ended the prohibition of alcohol.
The Archivist of the United States, who heads the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), is responsible for administering the ratification process. Once the required number of authenticated ratification documents is received, the Archivist drafts a formal proclamation certifying that the amendment is valid and has become part of the Constitution. This certification is published in the Federal Register and U.S. Statutes at Large, serving as official notice to Congress and the nation.
It is important to note that there are no explicit time constraints on the ratification process outlined in Article Five. However, since the early 20th century, Congress has occasionally stipulated that an amendment must be ratified within a certain timeframe, typically seven years. The absence of a deadline means that an amendment can remain pending indefinitely and be ratified long after being proposed.
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The Eighteenth Amendment prohibited alcohol
The Constitution of the United States has been amended 27 times, with the first 10 amendments being ratified on December 15, 1791, and known as the Bill of Rights. The Eighteenth Amendment prohibited the manufacture, transportation, and sale of intoxicating liquors in the United States. It was proposed by Congress on December 18, 1917, and ratified on January 16, 1919, when Nebraska became the 36th state to ratify the amendment.
The Eighteenth Amendment was the result of a prolonged temperance movement in the United States, with groups such as the Anti-Saloon League and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union campaigning for a ban on the sale of alcohol. The movement argued that prohibition would eliminate poverty and societal problems such as immoral sexual behavior and violence. It also claimed that it would inspire new forms of sociability, create happier families, reduce workplace accidents, and improve the world.
The Amendment did not outlaw the consumption of alcohol, and nationwide enforcement of Prohibition proved challenging. Alcohol smuggling, known as rum-running or bootlegging, and illicit bars, called speakeasies, became prevalent. Public sentiment turned against Prohibition during the 1920s, and 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, marking the only time in American history that a constitutional amendment has been repealed.
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The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments are the Reconstruction Amendments
The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the US Constitution, also known as the Reconstruction Amendments, were adopted between 1865 and 1870, in the five years immediately following the American Civil War. These amendments were critical to providing African Americans with the rights and protections of citizenship, and they were meant to fix the social and political issues many African Americans faced before and after the war.
The 13th Amendment, proposed in 1864 and ratified in 1865, abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. Pennsylvania was among the first states to ratify the amendment in February 1865, while New Jersey, initially opposed, followed suit in January 1866.
The 14th Amendment, proposed in 1866 and ratified in 1868, addresses citizenship rights and equal protection under the law for all persons. It established African Americans as equal citizens of the United States, overturning the 1857 Dred Scott v. Sanford case, which had ruled that black Americans were not citizens. The 14th Amendment also eliminated the three-fifths rule and punished states that did not permit male citizens over 21 years old to vote.
The 15th Amendment, proposed in 1869 and ratified in 1870, prohibits federal and state governments from denying citizens the right to vote based on race, colour, or previous condition of servitude. This amendment gave African American men the right to vote, and it was seen as a symbolic recognition of their status as US citizens.
The Reconstruction Amendments provided the constitutional basis for enforcing and implementing Reconstruction legislation, such as the Civil Rights Acts of 1866 and 1875 and the Enforcement Acts of 1870-71. However, resistance at the state and federal levels hindered progress, and it wasn't until the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s that full rights for African Americans were realised.
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Frequently asked questions
There have been 27 amendments to the US Constitution.
An amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of US states (38 states) to become part of the Constitution.
The first 10 amendments to the Constitution, ratified on December 15, 1791, are known as the Bill of Rights.
An amendment may be proposed by Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. It is then sent to the states for ratification. The Archivist of the United States administers the ratification process.
