Eleanor Finch
The Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified in 1951, limits the number of times a person can be elected to the office of President of the United States to twice, and outlines additional eligibility conditions for presidents who succeed to the unexpired terms of their predecessors. The amendment was a reaction to Franklin D. Roosevelt's election to an unprecedented four terms as president, but presidential term limits had long been debated in American politics, dating back to the Constitutional Convention of 1787.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Amendment | Twenty-second Amendment (Amendment XXII) |
| Date of Proposal | 21 March 1947 |
| Date of Ratification | 27 February 1951 |
| Number of Terms Allowed | Two |
| Conditions | Prohibits anyone who has been elected president twice from being elected to office again |
| Applicability | Does not apply to anyone holding the office of President when the Amendment was proposed |
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What You'll Learn
The 22nd Amendment
The idea of limiting presidential terms had been debated since the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Alexander Hamilton and James Madison supported lifetime tenure for presidents, while others, like Virginia's George Mason, opposed it as tantamount to an "elective monarchy." The 22nd Amendment was proposed by Congress in 1947, two years after Roosevelt's death, and it was ratified by the requisite 36 out of 48 states on February 27, 1951, coming into force on the same date.
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Presidential eligibility
The Twenty-second Amendment (Amendment XXII) to the United States Constitution limits the number of times a person can be elected to the office of President of the United States to twice. It also sets additional eligibility conditions for presidents who succeed to the unexpired terms of their predecessors. The Amendment was a reaction to Franklin D. Roosevelt's election to an unprecedented four terms as president.
The Twenty-second Amendment establishes that no person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice. Additionally, no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President, shall be elected to the office of President more than once. This provision ensures that individuals who serve as President for a significant portion of another President's term are still subject to the two-term limit.
The Amendment also addresses the eligibility of individuals who are in office when the Amendment is proposed or ratified. It specifies that the two-term limit shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when the Amendment is proposed by Congress. Additionally, it does not prevent such individuals from serving as President for the remainder of their current term, even if it exceeds the two-term limit.
The Twenty-second Amendment was approved by Congress on March 21, 1947, and submitted to the state legislatures for ratification. It was ratified in 1951, when 36 out of 48 states approved it. Since its ratification, all subsequent presidents have adhered to the two-term limit.
The concept of presidential term limits has been a topic of debate since the early days of the United States. While some of the country's founding fathers, such as Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, supported lifetime tenure for presidents, others favoured fixed terms. The decision by George Washington, the country's first president, to retire after two terms set an informal precedent that was followed by many subsequent presidents.
The unprecedented election of Franklin D. Roosevelt to four terms prompted a more serious discussion about establishing formal term limits. Roosevelt's death in 1945 and the subsequent ascension of Harry S. Truman to the presidency further fuelled this debate. In 1947, the House of Representatives proposed Joint Resolution 27, calling for a definitive limit of two terms for all future presidents. This proposal eventually led to the ratification of the Twenty-second Amendment in 1951.
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Two-term tradition
The Twenty-second Amendment (Amendment XXII) to the United States Constitution limits the number of times a person can be elected to the office of President of the United States to twice. It also sets additional eligibility conditions for presidents who succeed to the unexpired terms of their predecessors. The Amendment was a reaction to Franklin D. Roosevelt's election to an unprecedented four terms as president, but the debate over presidential term limits had been ongoing in American politics since the Constitutional Convention of 1787.
The idea of limiting presidential terms was first raised during the debates surrounding the Constitution's ratification. At the time, the concept of an individual holding the title of president was still relatively new, and there were differing opinions on how they would be elected and for how long. Alexander Hamilton and James Madison supported lifetime tenure for presidents, while others, like Virginia's George Mason, argued that this would be tantamount to an "elective monarchy".
The country's first president, George Washington, opted to retire after two terms, setting an informal precedent that was respected by the country's first 31 presidents. This "two-term tradition" was seen as a vital check against any one person or the presidency as a whole accumulating too much power. Three of the next four presidents after Jefferson—Madison, James Monroe, and Andrew Jackson—served two terms and adhered to the two-term principle.
However, in the 1930s, during the Great Depression, Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt broke with this precedent and was elected to four terms as president. Roosevelt's decision to seek a third term dominated the 1940 election campaign, with his Republican opponent, Wendell Willkie, running against the open-ended presidential tenure. Roosevelt won a decisive victory, and the issue of presidential term limits took a back seat during his third and fourth terms.
Following Roosevelt's death in 1945 and the ascension of Harry S. Truman to the presidency, the House of Representatives proposed Joint Resolution 27 in 1947, calling for a set limit of two terms for all future presidents. The proposed amendment was approved by Congress and submitted to the states for ratification on March 21, 1947. It was ratified on February 27, 1951, when 36 of the 48 states had ratified it, and its provisions came into force on that date.
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FDR's presidency
Franklin D. Roosevelt was the 32nd president of the United States, serving an unprecedented four terms in office from 1933 to 1945. He was the only president to serve more than two terms and is the longest-serving US president.
FDR, as he was commonly known, assumed the presidency during the Great Depression. He brought hope to the American people, promising "prompt, vigorous action" and asserting in his first inaugural address that "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." FDR's first "hundred days" in office were marked by a sweeping program to bring recovery to business and agriculture, provide relief to the unemployed and those at risk of losing their homes, and institute reforms through the establishment of agencies like the Tennessee Valley Authority.
FDR's administration greatly expanded the powers of the federal government through a series of programs and reforms known as the New Deal. Despite achieving some measure of economic recovery by 1935, FDR faced growing opposition from businessmen and bankers who feared his experiments, scorned his decision to take the nation off the gold standard, and disliked his concessions to labor. In response, FDR introduced a new program of reforms, including Social Security, heavier taxes on the wealthy, new controls over banks and public utilities, and an extensive work relief program for the unemployed.
During his presidency, FDR also made history by appointing women to unprecedented positions of rank in the US government. Notable "firsts" achieved by women during his administration include Frances Perkins, the first woman to serve in a President's Cabinet as Secretary of Labor; Ruth Bryan Owen Rohde, the first woman U.S. Minister to Denmark and Iceland; J. Borden Harriman, the first woman U.S. Minister to Norway; Nellie Tayloe Ross, the first woman Director of the U.S. Mint; and Josephine Roche, the first woman Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury.
FDR's decision to seek a third term in 1940 dominated the election campaign, with his Republican opponent, Wendell Willkie, running against the open-ended presidential tenure. FDR won a decisive victory, becoming the only president to exceed eight years in office. In 1944, FDR faced another Republican opponent, Thomas E. Dewey, who also supported a constitutional amendment to limit presidents to two terms. Despite rumours of poor health, FDR exuded enough energy and charisma to retain voters' confidence and was elected to a fourth term.
However, FDR's health was indeed deteriorating, and on April 12, 1945, just 82 days into his fourth term, he died of a cerebral haemorrhage at his retreat in Warm Springs, Georgia. His death prompted a priority discussion in Congress about presidential tenure, leading to the 22nd Amendment to the United States Constitution, which was ratified in 1951. This amendment limits presidents to two terms in office and sets additional eligibility conditions for partial terms.
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Congressional proposal
The Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution, which limits the number of times a person can be elected to the office of President of the United States to twice, was approved by Congress on March 21, 1947. It was a response to Franklin D. Roosevelt serving four terms as president, which was unprecedented in American politics.
The issue of presidential term limits had been debated since the Constitutional Convention of 1787, with some delegates, including Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, supporting lifetime tenure for presidents, while others favoured fixed terms. The former proposal was denounced by Virginia's George Mason as being akin to an elective monarchy.
Various amendments aimed at changing the informal two-term precedent to constitutional law were proposed in Congress in the early to mid-19th century, but none passed. The first 31 presidents, starting with George Washington, adhered to the two-term tradition. However, this precedent was broken in 1940 when Franklin D. Roosevelt agreed to run for a third term in the midst of World War II. Roosevelt was re-elected in 1940 and again in 1944, becoming the only president to exceed eight years in office.
Following Roosevelt's death in 1945, Republicans took control of the House and the Senate in the midterm elections 18 months later. In 1947, they introduced an amendment to limit the president to two terms, and it was approved by Congress on March 21 of that year. The proposed amendment was then submitted to the state legislatures for ratification.
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Frequently asked questions
The Twenty-second Amendment (Amendment XXII) to the United States Constitution, which limits the number of times a person can be elected to the office of President of the United States to twice, was ratified on February 27, 1951.
The Twenty-second Amendment was a reaction to Franklin D. Roosevelt's election to an unprecedented four terms as president.
The Twenty-second Amendment states that no person shall be elected to the office of President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of President more than once.
Before the Twenty-second Amendment, there was no limit on presidential terms. Alexander Hamilton, for instance, envisioned a president who would be nominated by the Congress to serve for life.
The arguments in favor of limiting presidential terms included the concern that the United States would effectively turn into an "elective monarchy". Thomas E. Dewey, for example, argued that "four terms, or sixteen years [...] is the most dangerous threat to our freedom ever proposed."
