Malcolm Rivera
The US Constitution has been amended 27 times since it became operational in 1789, with the original text and all prior amendments remaining untouched. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, offer protections of individual liberty and justice and restrict government powers. The Founding Fathers intended the document to be flexible to fit the changing needs of the country. One of the biggest criticisms of the original Constitution was that it did not do enough to protect the rights of individuals against the nation's new central government. As such, James Madison drafted a list of rights for citizens, including freedom of religion, speech, and the press, the right to bear arms, the right to a trial by jury, and freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures. Madison also wanted the Bill of Rights interwoven within the Constitution, but this did not pass with Congress. The Eighteenth Amendment (1919) prohibited the making, transporting, and selling of alcoholic beverages nationwide, but this was repealed by the Twenty-first Amendment in 1933. The US Constitution has also been removed from the White House website, with no mention of past presidents or the history of the presidency.
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- The US Constitution was removed from the White House website during Trump's second term
- Prohibition was introduced via the 18th Amendment in 1919, but later repealed by the 21st Amendment in 1933
- The 16th Amendment in 1913 removed constraints on Congress's power to tax income
- Madison's original Bill of Rights was amended and did not include his proposed separation of powers clause
- The original text and all prior amendments remain untouched, but amended articles are indicated
The US Constitution was removed from the White House website during Trump's second term
On the second day of Donald Trump's second term as US President, a White House webpage that explained the U.S. Constitution was found to be unavailable. Visitors to the website encountered a "404 page not found" error when they tried to access the page. This removal of the US Constitution from the White House website occurred amidst other notable changes, including the removal of pages detailing the Bill of Rights and information about the nation's history, such as biographies of past presidents.
The Trump administration's removal of the US Constitution from the White House website has been met with criticism. Some interpret this action as a broader signal of the administration's disregard for the Constitution and its violations of the law. For example, House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro accused the Trump Administration of "breaking the law and undermining the Constitution every day" through actions such as "illegally stealing funds for programs that help American families and businesses, firing career civil servants without cause, and dismantling agencies created by acts of Congress."
In addition to the removal of the US Constitution webpage, the Trump administration also removed the Spanish-language version of the White House website during his first term, which was only restored by the Biden administration four years later. The removal of the Spanish version of the website was criticized as suggesting that the Trump administration viewed the Spanish-speaking and Latino community as "a less significant part of the country."
The removal of the US Constitution from the White House website during Trump's second term can be seen in the context of broader concerns about his administration's relationship with the Constitution and the rule of law. While the Constitution has been amended numerous times since it became operational in 1789, with 27 amendments to date, the removal of easy public access to this foundational document from the White House's website is symbolic of a departure from transparency and a commitment to the nation's guiding rules.
While the US Constitution webpage has been removed from the White House website during Trump's second term, it is important to note that the Constitution itself remains the supreme law of the land. The removal of the webpage does not alter the legal force of the Constitution or the rights and protections it guarantees to the people of the United States. However, the absence of this information from the White House website may hinder public access to knowledge about their rights and the country's history.
Shays' Rebellion: Constitution and Lower Class Impact
You may want to see also
Prohibition was introduced via the 18th Amendment in 1919, but later repealed by the 21st Amendment in 1933
The US Constitution, which became operational in 1789, has been amended 27 times. Amendments are appended to the original document, which remains untouched. The original text of amended articles is usually bracketed or italicized to indicate it no longer applies.
One such amendment is the 18th Amendment, which prohibited the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages nationwide. It was adopted in 1919 at the urging of a national temperance movement, which believed that alcohol use was reckless and destructive.
However, the 18th Amendment soon became highly unpopular, and a political movement for its repeal grew. The 21st Amendment, which repealed the 18th Amendment, was proposed by Congress on February 20, 1933, and adopted on December 5, 1933, ending national prohibition.
The 21st Amendment is the only amendment to have been ratified by state ratifying conventions specifically selected for the purpose. It prohibited the transportation or importation of intoxicating liquors into any state, territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein, in violation of the laws thereof.
The end of prohibition was thought to be responsible for the creation of half a million jobs.
The 1851 Ohio Constitution: Addressing the State's Issues
You may want to see also
The 16th Amendment in 1913 removed constraints on Congress's power to tax income
The 16th Amendment, passed on July 2, 1909, and ratified on February 3, 1913, removed constraints on Congress's power to tax income. The amendment established Congress's right to impose a federal income tax and changed a portion of Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution, which had granted Congress the general authority to "lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imports, and Excises."
The 16th Amendment specifically removed the apportionment constraints delineated in Article 1, Section 9, Clause 4, which had required that "direct" taxes be collected based on the population of the states. With the 16th Amendment, Congress was granted the power to ""lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration." This amendment overturned an 1895 Supreme Court decision in Pollock v. Farmers' Loan & Trust Co., which had declared an unapportioned federal income tax on rents, dividends, and interest unconstitutional.
The push for the 16th Amendment came from progressive groups who argued for a more equitable tax system where wealthy individuals paid their fair share. This was in contrast to the middle class and poor, who had been bearing the brunt of taxes and tariffs. The amendment's ratification was facilitated by the rise of the Progressive Party and the victory of the Democratic Party in the 1912 Presidential Election. From 1909 to 1913, the amendment was ratified by the required thirty-six states out of the then forty-eight.
The long-term impact of the 16th Amendment was significant, as it shifted the way the federal government received funding for its operations. It also became the basis for all subsequent federal income tax legislation, greatly expanding the scope of federal taxing and spending powers.
New York Delegates: Constitution Voting Outcome
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Madison's original Bill of Rights was amended and did not include his proposed separation of powers clause
James Madison played a significant role in the creation of the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Madison, a member of the US House of Representatives at the time, advocated for constitutional principles of separation of powers, checks and balances, bicameralism, and federalism, which would limit government and protect individual liberties.
Madison's original vision for the Bill of Rights included a two-part preamble that would have woven Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence with the famous phrase "We the People" into the Constitution. However, this proposal was questioned by Roger Sherman of Connecticut, who believed that the move to downplay "We the People" was unnecessary.
Madison also proposed a different version of what became the Second Amendment, which included a clause exempting those with religious scruples about bearing arms from military service. Additionally, he wanted the Bill of Rights interwoven within the Constitution, rather than appended at the end, but this idea was rejected by Congress due to concerns about rewriting the Constitution.
One of the most significant aspects of Madison's original Bill of Rights that was not included was his proposed separation of powers clause. Madison strongly believed in this clause, which stated:
> "The powers delegated by this Constitution are appropriated to the departments to which they are respectively distributed: so that the Legislative Department shall never exercise the powers vested in the Executive or Judicial, nor the Executive exercise the powers vested in the Legislative or Judicial, nor the Judicial exercise the powers vested in the Legislative or Executive Departments."
This clause was intended to ensure that each branch of government had clear and distinct roles, with no branch exercising the powers of the other. However, it did not make it through the congressional review process, and the final Bill of Rights did not include this explicit separation of powers.
Research Engagement: Activities That Define Involvement
You may want to see also
The original text and all prior amendments remain untouched, but amended articles are indicated
The US Constitution has been amended 27 times since it was ratified in 1788. The original text and all prior amendments remain untouched, but amended articles are indicated by bracketing or italicising the text to show that it no longer applies. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791 and offer protections of individual liberty and justice, as well as placing restrictions on the powers of the government.
The Founding Fathers intended the Constitution to be flexible and adaptable to the changing needs of the country. The Bill of Rights was drafted by James Madison, who wanted to interweave it within the Constitution, rather than append it at the end. Madison's proposal did not pass with Congress, who were concerned that it would appear the Constitution was being rewritten.
Amendments to the Constitution are appended to the document, and the original Constitution was handwritten on five pages of parchment by Jacob Shallus. The majority of the 17 later amendments expand individual civil rights protections, while others address federal authority or modify government processes.
Some notable amendments include the Sixteenth Amendment (1913), which removed constraints on the power of Congress to lay and collect taxes on income, and the Eighteenth Amendment (1919), which prohibited the making, transporting, and selling of alcoholic beverages nationwide. The Eighteenth Amendment was later repealed by the Twenty-first Amendment in 1933.
The Senate: Popular Vote or Not?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution is a document that lays out the basic framework of the federal government and defines the rights of citizens. It was written in 1787 and has been amended 27 times since then.
The original US Constitution has not been removed but has been amended 27 times. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791. These amendments include the freedom of religion, speech, and the press, the right to bear arms, and the right to a trial by jury.
The Bill of Rights is the collective name for the first ten amendments to the US Constitution. They were ratified in 1791 and offer specific protections of individual liberty and justice and place restrictions on the powers of the government within the US states.
The US Constitution was removed from the White House website during the second term of President Donald Trump. Many people speculated that this was done to downplay the importance of past presidents and the history of the presidency.
