Jonah Patel
The Constitution of the United States, the nation's supreme law, has been amended 27 times since it became operational in 1789. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791. Since then, 11,000–11,848 proposals to amend the Constitution have been introduced in Congress, with members of the House and Senate proposing around 200 amendments during each two-year term. Amendments must be properly proposed and ratified before becoming operative, and this two-step process is detailed in Article Five of the Constitution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Total number of amendments proposed | 11,000-11,848 |
| Number of amendments ratified | 27 |
| Date the first 10 amendments were ratified | December 15, 1791 |
| Date Amendment XI was passed by Congress | March 4, 1794 |
| Date Amendment XI was ratified | February 7, 1795 |
| Date Amendment XII was passed by Congress | December 9, 1803 |
| Date Amendment XII was ratified | June 15, 1804 |
| Date Amendment XIII was passed by Congress | June 13, 1866 |
| Date Amendment XIII was ratified | July 9, 1868 |
| Date Amendment XVI was passed by Congress | May 13, 1912 |
| Date Amendment XVI was ratified | April 8, 1913 |
| Date Amendment XVIII was ratified | 1919 |
| Date Amendment XXI was ratified | 1933 |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution has been amended 27 times
The US Constitution, the nation's plan of government, has been amended 27 times since it was put into operation on March 4, 1789. The process of amending the Constitution involves a two-step process, as detailed in Article Five of the United States Constitution. Amendments must be properly proposed and ratified before becoming operative. This process aims to balance the need for change with the stability of the Constitution.
An amendment can be proposed and sent to the states for ratification by the US Congress when a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives deem it necessary. Alternatively, a national convention called by Congress on the application of the legislatures of two-thirds of the states can also propose an amendment. However, this option has never been used.
To become part of the Constitution, an amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of the states, either through their legislatures or state ratifying conventions. The Archivist of the United States administers the ratification process and issues a certificate proclaiming the amendment as an operative part of the Constitution. Congress has occasionally stipulated a seven-year deadline for ratification by the required number of states.
Since 1789, approximately 11,000-11,848 proposals to amend the Constitution have been introduced in Congress. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified simultaneously on December 15, 1791. The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments are collectively referred to as the Reconstruction Amendments. The 21st Amendment, ratified in 1933, is unique as it explicitly repealed the 18th Amendment, ending the prohibition of alcohol.
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The first 10 amendments are the Bill of Rights
The first 10 amendments to the US Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. James Madison wrote the amendments, which were designed to limit government power and protect individual liberties.
The First Amendment prohibits Congress from making laws that establish a religion or restrict the free exercise of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right to assemble, and the right to petition the government.
The Second Amendment states that "a well-regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
The Third Amendment states that "no Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law."
The Fourth Amendment safeguards citizens' right to be free from unreasonable government intrusion in their homes and requires a warrant for searches and seizures.
The Fifth Amendment provides several protections for people accused of crimes, including the requirement of a grand jury for serious criminal charges, protection against double jeopardy, protection against self-incrimination, and the right to due process of law.
The Sixth Amendment provides additional protections for people accused of crimes, including the right to a speedy and public trial, trial by an impartial jury, the right to confront witnesses, the right to one's own witnesses, and the right to 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 not explicitly mentioned.
The Tenth Amendment states that the Federal Government only has the powers delegated to it by the Constitution.
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Amendments must be proposed and ratified
The process of amending the Constitution of the United States is a two-step procedure, as outlined in Article Five of the Constitution. This process requires amendments to be proposed and ratified before they can become operative.
An amendment can be proposed in two ways. Firstly, it can be proposed by the US Congress, provided there is a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Secondly, it can be proposed through a national convention called by Congress, following an application from two-thirds of state legislatures (34 since 1959). This second option has never been used.
Once an amendment is proposed, it must be ratified, or approved, by three-fourths of the states (38 since 1959) to become part of the Constitution. This can be done through the state legislatures or state ratifying conventions. The latter method has only been used once, for the Twenty-first Amendment in 1933, which repealed the Eighteenth Amendment and ended the prohibition of alcohol.
Since the Constitution was enacted in 1789, there have been approximately 11,000-11,848 proposals to amend it, with members of the House and Senate proposing around 200 amendments during each two-year term of Congress. However, only 27 amendments have been successfully ratified and incorporated into the Constitution.
The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified simultaneously in 1791 and provide protections for individual liberties and restrictions on government powers. The remaining 17 amendments were ratified individually between 1795 and 1971, addressing various issues such as civil rights, federal authority, and government processes.
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Congress proposes amendments
The process of amending the U.S. Constitution is outlined in Article V of the Constitution. The Congress, whenever two-thirds of both Houses deem it necessary, can propose amendments to the Constitution. This is the only method that has been successfully used to amend the Constitution so far.
The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791. Since then, Congress has proposed 33 amendments to the Constitution, 27 of which have been ratified by the requisite number of states and are now part of the Constitution. The process of proposing an amendment in Congress involves a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This is known as a joint resolution, which is then forwarded directly to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for processing and publication.
Once an amendment is proposed by Congress, the Archivist of the United States administers the ratification process. The Archivist submits the proposed amendment to the states for their consideration by sending a letter of notification to each governor along with informational material. The governors then formally submit the amendment to their state legislatures or call for a convention, depending on Congress's specifications.
To become part of the Constitution, an amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of the states (38 out of 50 states). When the required number of authenticated ratification documents is received, a formal proclamation is drafted for the Archivist to certify that the amendment is valid and has become part of the Constitution.
In addition to the 27 ratified amendments, there have been six unratified amendments proposed by Congress. Four of these amendments are still pending, one has failed by its own terms, and one has failed by the terms of the resolution proposing it.
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The US Constitution is the oldest constitution in force
The US Constitution is the oldest national constitution still in force. It was ratified on June 21, 1788, and came into force in 1789. Since then, it has been amended 27 times, with the first 10 amendments, collectively referred to as the Bill of Rights, being ratified in 1791.
The US Constitution is also the shortest documented constitution in the world, with only seven original articles. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. The Constitution was drafted by the nation's Founding Fathers at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia between May 25 and September 17, 1787. It was influenced by English common law and the Enlightenment liberalism of philosophers like John Locke and Montesquieu. The first three articles of the Constitution embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, dividing the federal government into the legislative, bicameral Congress; the executive, led by the president; and the judiciary.
The process of amending the US Constitution is outlined in Article Five, which details a two-step process. Amendments must be properly proposed and ratified before becoming operative. This can be done through a proposal by a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, or by a national convention called by Congress on the application of two-thirds of the states. To become part of the Constitution, an amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of the states.
Since 1789, close to 800 constitutions have been adopted and amended by independent states around the world. The average life expectancy of a written constitution is approximately 19 years, and many do not last more than 10 years. The longevity of the US Constitution, which has remained in force for several centuries, is a testament to its resilience and adaptability.
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Frequently asked questions
The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791.
The U.S. Constitution has been amended 27 times.
The most recent amendment to the U.S. Constitution was the 27th amendment, ratified on January 23, 1964.
The first amendment of the 20th century was the 16th amendment, ratified on April 8, 1913. It gave Congress the power to collect taxes on incomes.
