Malcolm Rivera
The United States Constitution has been amended 27 times, with 33 amendments proposed by Congress. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified simultaneously in 1791. Since then, amendments have been added incrementally, with the most recent being added in 1992. Amendments can be proposed by Congress or by a convention called for by two-thirds of the states. To become part of the Constitution, an amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of the states. While most amendments are related to voting procedures, elections, and government administration, some, such as the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Nineteenth Amendments, are civil rights milestones. One amendment, the Twenty-first Amendment, ratified in 1933, repealed a previous amendment, the Eighteenth Amendment, which had established the prohibition of alcohol.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Amendments no longer in place | 18th Amendment (prohibition of alcohol) |
| Amendments that modified previous ones | 11th, 12th, 14th, 26th |
| Number of amendments proposed | 33 |
| Number of amendments ratified | 27 |
| Number of amendments with significant impact | Few, including 13th, 14th, 19th |
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What You'll Learn
- The 18th Amendment, prohibiting alcohol, was repealed by the 21st Amendment
- The 13th Amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude
- The 14th Amendment granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the US
- The 12th Amendment superseded a portion of Article II, section 1 of the Constitution
- The 25th Amendment outlines presidential succession and vacancy procedures
The 18th Amendment, prohibiting alcohol, was repealed by the 21st Amendment
The Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which prohibited the manufacture, transport, and sale of intoxicating liquors, was ratified on January 16, 1919. It was the result of decades of effort by the temperance movement, which argued that a ban on alcohol would eliminate poverty and societal problems such as immoral sexual behaviour and violence.
However, the Eighteenth Amendment proved difficult to enforce, with alcohol smuggling and illicit bars becoming popular. Public sentiment turned against Prohibition during the 1920s, and the movement to repeal the amendment gained momentum. The amendment's opponents argued that Prohibition denied jobs to the unemployed and revenue to the government, especially during the Great Depression.
In 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Democratic presidential candidate, included a plan to repeal the Eighteenth Amendment in his platform, and his victory that November led to the end of Prohibition. On February 20, 1933, Congress proposed a new amendment to end Prohibition, and the Twenty-first Amendment was ratified on December 5, 1933, officially repealing the Eighteenth Amendment.
The Twenty-first Amendment is unique in the history of the United States Constitution for being the only amendment to repeal a prior amendment. It also modified the Volstead Act to permit the sale of beer. The Twenty-first Amendment gave states the power to regulate the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol.
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The 13th Amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude
The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, passed by Congress on January 31, 1865, and ratified on December 6, 1865, abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States. This amendment was a significant milestone in American history, as it legally prohibited the practice of slavery and ensured that all persons within the United States and its jurisdictions were protected from being subjected to slavery or involuntary servitude.
The 13th Amendment was preceded by the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Lincoln in 1863, which declared that "all persons held as slaves within any State...shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free." However, the Emancipation Proclamation had limitations as it only applied to areas of the Confederacy in a state of rebellion and did not end slavery nationwide. It was recognized that a constitutional amendment was necessary to truly abolish slavery.
Section 1 of the 13th Amendment states: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." This explicit language left no room for interpretation and ensured that slavery and involuntary servitude, except as legally prescribed punishment for crimes, were abolished across the nation.
The passage of the 13th Amendment was a pivotal moment in the Civil War era and a crucial step towards freedom and equality for people who had been enslaved. It represented a formal rejection of slavery as an institution and a commitment to uphold the fundamental rights and liberties of all individuals. The amendment's enforcement was a complex process, but it laid the foundation for the continued advancement of civil rights and the pursuit of a more just society.
While the 13th Amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, it is important to recognize that the struggle for racial equality and justice did not end with its ratification. The amendment addressed the legal aspects of slavery, but the social, economic, and political disparities that persisted required further legislative action and a continued commitment to addressing the legacy of slavery and its impact on marginalized communities.
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The 14th Amendment granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the US
The 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, passed by Congress on June 13, 1866, and ratified on July 9, 1868, granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the US and subject to its jurisdiction. This amendment was part of the Reconstruction Amendments, which were adopted immediately following the Civil War.
Section 1 of the 14th Amendment states that:
> All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.
This amendment also prohibited any state from making or enforcing laws that would abridge the privileges or immunities of US citizens. Additionally, it guaranteed that no person could be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law and that all persons within a state's jurisdiction were entitled to equal protection under the law.
The 14th Amendment was modified by Section 1 of the 26th Amendment, which granted 18-year-olds the right to vote. This modification ensured that the right to vote could not be denied or abridged by any state due to age. The 26th Amendment was proposed on September 25, 1789, and ratified on May 7, 1992.
The 14th Amendment is considered a significant milestone in civil rights, solidifying the legal status of citizens and guaranteeing them certain protections under the law.
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The 12th Amendment superseded a portion of Article II, section 1 of the Constitution
The 12th Amendment, passed by Congress on December 9, 1803, and ratified on June 15, 1804, superseded a portion of Article II, section 1 of the Constitution. This amendment provided the procedure for electing the president and vice president, replacing the original process outlined in Article II, Section 1, Clause 3.
Under the original procedure, each elector cast two electoral votes, with no distinction between votes for president and vice president. The individual with the most votes, provided they constituted a majority of the electors, was elected president, and the runner-up became vice president. The 12th Amendment changed this by requiring electors to cast distinct votes for president and vice president.
Additionally, the 12th Amendment addressed the scenario in which the House of Representatives failed to choose a president by March 4, the first day of a presidential term. In such a case, the vice president-elect would "act as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President." However, it did not specify the duration of the vice president's acting presidency or whether the House could still choose a president after March 4.
Later, the 20th Amendment, adopted in 1933, superseded a portion of the 12th Amendment by changing the date of the presidential term's commencement to January 20. It clarified that the vice president-elect would only "act as President" if the House had not chosen a president by that date.
The 12th Amendment also included a provision regarding the terms of office for the president, vice president, senators, and representatives. It established that their terms would end at noon on the 20th day of January, with the terms of their successors beginning at that time.
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The 25th Amendment outlines presidential succession and vacancy procedures
The 25th Amendment to the US Constitution outlines presidential succession and vacancy procedures. It was adopted in 1967, following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, which highlighted the need for clear rules of succession.
The 25th Amendment is particularly significant because it addresses various scenarios that could lead to a vacancy in the presidency or vice presidency. Firstly, it establishes the procedure for filling a vacancy in the office of the vice president. In such a case, the president would nominate a new vice president, who would take office upon confirmation by a majority vote in both houses of Congress.
Secondly, the amendment outlines the process for declaring a president unfit for office. If the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet members determine that the president is unable to discharge their powers and duties, they can temporarily transfer the presidential powers to the vice president, who becomes the acting president. However, if the president disputes this decision, it is up to Congress to decide, with a two-thirds majority vote in both houses being required to keep the vice president as acting president.
The 25th Amendment also clarifies the presidential line of succession. In the event of a vacancy in the office of both the president and the vice president, the amendment specifies that the Speaker of the House of Representatives would become the new president. This provision ensures continuity of leadership in the absence of both the president and vice president.
It is worth noting that the 25th Amendment has been invoked multiple times in US history, including when President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974, and Vice President Gerald Ford became president. Additionally, Section 3 of the amendment has been invoked several times by presidents undergoing medical procedures, temporarily transferring their powers to the vice president.
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Frequently asked questions
The Bill of Rights refers to the first 10 amendments to the US Constitution. They were ratified on December 15, 1791.
The 11th Amendment states that the judicial power of the US does not extend to any suit in law or equity commenced or prosecuted against one of the US states by citizens of another state or foreign state. It was passed by Congress on March 4, 1794, and ratified on February 7, 1795.
The 18th Amendment established the prohibition of alcohol. It was ratified in 1919 and repealed by the 21st Amendment in 1933.
The 13th Amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude within the US, except as punishment for a crime. It was ratified in 1865 and is considered one of the most important amendments in American history.
