Malcolm Rivera
The United States Constitution is composed of a preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. Since then, 17 additional amendments have been made to the Constitution, the most recent of which was added in 1992, 203 years after it was first proposed. The amendments cover a range of topics, including the right to trial by jury, the prohibition of excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishments, the abolition of slavery, and the definition of US citizenship.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Amendments | 27 |
| First 10 Amendments | Known as the Bill of Rights |
| Date of Ratification of the First 10 Amendments | December 15, 1791 |
| Amendment XI | Passed by Congress on March 4, 1794; Ratified on February 7, 1795 |
| Amendment XII | Passed by Congress on December 9, 1803; Ratified on June 15, 1804 |
| Amendment XIII | Superseded a portion of Article IV, Section 2, of the Constitution |
| Amendment XIV | Passed by Congress on June 13, 1866; Ratified on July 9, 1868; Modified Article I, Section 2, of the Constitution |
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What You'll Learn
The first 10 amendments are the Bill of Rights
The first ten amendments to the US Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights. They were ratified on December 15, 1791, and became Amendments One through Ten of the Constitution. The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution because it lacked limits on government power.
The First Amendment prohibits Congress from making laws that establish a religion or restrict the freedom of speech, the press, the right to peaceably assemble, and the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances. The Second Amendment guarantees the right to keep and bear arms. The Third Amendment states that no soldier shall be quartered in a house in peacetime without the owner's consent. The Fourth Amendment protects citizens' right to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures. It also requires a warrant to be issued only upon probable cause.
The Fifth Amendment guarantees rights in criminal cases, including the right to a grand jury and protection against double jeopardy. The Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to a speedy trial by an impartial jury and the right to confront witnesses. The Seventh Amendment guarantees the right to a trial by jury in civil cases. The Eighth Amendment prohibits excessive bail, fines, and cruel and unusual punishments. The Ninth Amendment states that the listing of specific rights in the Constitution does not deny other rights retained by the people. Finally, the Tenth Amendment states that powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution are reserved to the states or the people.
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The 11th Amendment modified Article III, section 2
The Eleventh Amendment (Amendment XI) to the United States Constitution was passed by Congress on March 4, 1794, and ratified by the states on February 7, 1795. This amendment modified Article III, Section 2, of the Constitution, which pertains to the judicial power of the United States.
The text of the amendment states: "The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State." Essentially, the Eleventh Amendment restricts the ability of individuals to bring lawsuits against states of which they are not citizens in federal court.
Prior to the Eleventh Amendment, the Supreme Court held in Chisholm v. Georgia (1793) that states did not have sovereign immunity from lawsuits brought against them by citizens of other states in federal court. However, the Eleventh Amendment established that federal courts do not have the authority to hear such cases brought by private parties against a state of which they are not citizens.
The Eleventh Amendment grants immunity to states from suits for money damages or equitable relief without their consent. However, in certain cases, the Supreme Court has ruled that Congress can abrogate state sovereign immunity when using its authority under Section 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment. Additionally, the Court has clarified that when a state invokes a federal court's removal jurisdiction, it waives the Eleventh Amendment in the removed case.
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The 12th Amendment superseded a portion of Article II, section 1
The United States Constitution is composed of a preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments. The first 10 amendments are known as the Bill of Rights and were ratified on December 15, 1791.
The Twelfth 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 addressed the procedure for the Electoral College, as 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 Twelfth Amendment provided that the House of Representatives must choose a president before March 4 (then the first day of a presidential term), or the vice president-elect would "act as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President".
The Twelfth Amendment was invoked in 1836 when the Whig Party nominated four different candidates in different regions, aiming to splinter the electoral vote and deny the Democratic nominee, Martin Van Buren, an electoral majority. Ultimately, Van Buren won the electoral college outright, and the attempt to invoke the 12th Amendment proved fruitless.
In 1933, Section 3 of the Twentieth Amendment superseded the Twelfth Amendment by changing the date of a new presidential term to January 20 and clarifying the conditions under which the vice president-elect would "act as President".
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The 13th Amendment superseded a portion of Article IV, section 2
The US Constitution is composed of a preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments. The first 10 amendments are known as the Bill of Rights and were ratified on December 15, 1791.
The full text 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."
> "Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."
The 13th Amendment was a significant step in the abolition of slavery in the United States. In 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that all persons held as slaves in states or designated parts of states in rebellion against the United States were to be free. However, this proclamation did not end slavery nationwide as it only applied to areas of the Confederacy in rebellion and not to the "loyal" border states that remained in the Union. Lincoln recognized that a constitutional amendment was necessary to guarantee the abolishment of slavery.
The 13th Amendment is one of several amendments that have superseded or modified portions of the original Constitution. For example, the 12th Amendment superseded a portion of Article II, Section 1, while the 11th Amendment modified Article III, Section 2. These amendments demonstrate the evolving nature of the Constitution and the efforts to adapt it to the changing needs and values of the nation.
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The 14th Amendment modified Article I, section 2
The United States Constitution has 27 amendments, the first 10 of which are known as the Bill of Rights. The 14th Amendment, passed by Congress on June 13, 1866, and ratified on July 9, 1868, changed a portion of Article I, Section 2.
Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution, which was modified by Section 2 of the 14th Amendment, states that all persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to its jurisdiction are citizens of the United States and of the state in which they reside. It also states that no state shall make or enforce any law that abridges the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States. Furthermore, no state can deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
The 14th Amendment addresses many aspects of citizenship and the rights of citizens. The phrase "equal protection of the laws" is the most commonly used and frequently litigated phrase in the amendment. This phrase has been central to a wide variety of landmark cases, including Brown v. Board of Education (racial discrimination), Roe v. Wade (reproductive rights), and Bush v. Gore (election recounts).
It is important to note that other amendments also modified specific articles of the Constitution. For example, Amendment XI modified Article III, section 2, and Amendment XII superseded a portion of Article II, section 1. These amendments, like the 14th Amendment, have played a significant role in shaping the interpretation and application of the Constitution in the United States.
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Frequently asked questions
The Bill of Rights is the collective name for the first 10 amendments to the US Constitution, ratified on December 15, 1791. It guarantees civil rights and liberties to individuals, including freedom of speech, press, and religion, and sets rules for due process under the law.
The Fourteenth Amendment states that all persons born or naturalized in the US and subject to its jurisdiction are citizens with equal protection under the law. It also addresses the right to vote, apportionment of representatives, and insurrection against the government.
The Eighteenth Amendment prohibited the transportation, importation, and sale of intoxicating liquors within the United States. It was ratified as an amendment to the Constitution and later repealed.
