Omar Bennett
The Twenty-seventh Amendment, or the Congressional Compensation Act of 1789, was the last rule added to the United States Constitution. It was proposed by Representative James Madison of Virginia in the House of Representatives on June 8, 1789, and passed by Congress on September 25, 1789, along with 11 other amendments. However, it was not ratified until May 5, 1992, making it the most recently adopted amendment. The amendment addresses congressional pay, stating that any changes to the compensation of members of Congress can only take effect after the next election of the House of Representatives.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Last Amendment | December 15, 1791 |
| Number of Amendments | 27 |
| Date of Last Rule Added | 1992 |
| Number of Rules | 12 |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution's history
The US Constitution is the nation's fundamental law, codifying the core values of the American people. The idea of a separate power inherent in the Constitution was inspired by eighteenth-century Enlightenment philosophers such as Montesquieu and John Locke. The Constitution was also influenced by the Magna Carta, which became the foundation of English liberty against arbitrary power.
The Constitution was drafted in 1787 by the Confederation Congress, which called a convention of state delegates in Philadelphia to propose revisions to the Articles of Confederation. The convention was intended to "render the federal constitution adequate to the exigencies of government and the preservation of the Union". The draft Constitution was then promoted by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, who published a series of essays between 1787 and 1788, now known as the Federalist Papers.
The Bill of Rights, comprising the first ten amendments to the Constitution, was proposed by the First Congress on September 25, 1789 and ratified on December 15, 1791. The Bill of Rights includes concepts such as freedom of religion, speech, equal treatment, and due process of law, which were deemed so important that not even a majority should be allowed to change them.
The most recent amendment to the Constitution is the Twenty-seventh Amendment, or the Congressional Compensation Act of 1789, which was ratified in 1992, 203 years after it was first proposed. The amendment states that any law that increases or decreases the salary of members of Congress may only take effect after the next election of the House of Representatives.
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The Bill of Rights
The US Constitution is the nation's supreme law, delineating the framework of the federal government. The first Constitution superseded the Articles of Confederation on March 4, 1789. The Bill of Rights, comprising the first ten amendments, was added to the Constitution in 1791.
The first ten amendments to the Constitution safeguard freedoms like speech, religion, and the right to bear arms, while ensuring protections such as due process and trial by jury. The Second Amendment (1791) protects the right of individuals to keep and bear arms. The Supreme Court has ruled that this right applies to individuals, not just collective militias.
The first eight amendments outline specific freedoms and protections, while the final two (9 and 10) emphasise the importance of states' and people's rights:
> "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
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Amendments
The Constitution of the United States is the nation's supreme law and comprises a set of rules that codify the core values of the people. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. The Constitution originally included seven articles, embodying the doctrine of the separation of powers, dividing the federal government into three branches: the legislative, the executive, and the judicial.
The Constitution has been amended several times since its inception. Amendments are changes or additions made to the Constitution, and they follow a specific process for ratification. The process involves the Archivist of the United States, who submits a proposed amendment to the states for their consideration. Each state then formally submits the amendment to its legislature for approval.
The first set of amendments to the Constitution was proposed by the First Congress of the United States on September 25, 1789, and is known as the Bill of Rights. Ten of the proposed twelve amendments were ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures on December 15, 1791, and they constitute the first ten amendments, or the Bill of Rights. The second amendment, for example, protects the right of individuals to keep and bear arms.
The amendments were written by James Madison, who was then a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He made changes to the Constitution's text to address concerns about limiting government power and protecting individual liberties. However, due to objections from representatives who believed Congress did not have the authority to alter the Constitution's wording, Madison's changes were presented as amendments.
The most recent amendment mentioned is the 27th Amendment, which was ratified in 1992, 203 years after it was initially proposed in 1789.
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The Supreme Court
The U.S. Constitution is the nation's fundamental law and the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. The Constitution's first three articles embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, dividing the federal government into three branches: the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Congress (Article I); the executive, consisting of the president and subordinate officers (Article II); and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts (Article III).
The Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the Constitution, was ratified on December 15, 1791. James Madison wrote the amendments to limit government power and protect individual liberties. The Second Amendment (1791), part of the Bill of Rights, protects the right of individuals to keep and bear arms. The Supreme Court has ruled that this right applies to individuals, not just collective militias. The Supreme Court also held that the government may regulate or place some limits on the manufacture, ownership, and sale of firearms or other weapons.
The Constitution was written in the summer of 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by delegates from 12 states. On September 25, 1789, the First Congress of the United States proposed 12 amendments to the Constitution. Ten of these were ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures on December 15, 1791, and the remaining two were ratified later, with Article 2 becoming the 27th Amendment in 1992 and Article 1 never being ratified.
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The role of the judiciary
The U.S. Constitution, the nation's supreme law, superseded the Articles of Confederation on March 4, 1789. It originally included seven articles, the first three of which embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, dividing the federal government into three branches: the legislative, the executive, and the judiciary. The judiciary, the third branch of the federal government, consists of the Supreme Court and other federal courts.
The courts play an integral role in maintaining the rule of law, particularly when hearing the grievances of minority groups or those with minority opinions. Equality before the law is a fundamental part of the American system of government, and the Court may hear both sides of a controversy when a majority infringes on the rights of a minority.
The U.S. Constitution currently consists of 27 amendments, beginning with the Bill of Rights, which comprises the first 10 amendments. The first ten amendments to the Constitution were ratified on December 15, 1791, and were added to limit government power and protect individual liberties. The Second Amendment (1791), for example, protects the right of individuals to keep and bear arms, while the First Amendment protects freedom of speech, religion, and the right to bear arms.
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Frequently asked questions
The last rule, or amendment, added to the US Constitution was in 1992. This was 203 years after it was first proposed.
The 27th Amendment was the last rule added to the US Constitution.
The US Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the nation's first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, on March 4, 1789. The Constitution's first three articles embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, dividing the federal government into three branches: the legislative, the executive, and the judicial.
