Omar Bennett
The United States Constitution, signed on September 17, 1787, and ratified on June 21, 1788, has been amended 27 times. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791, and include freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, and due process. The most recent amendment, the 27th, was ratified in 1992. Amendments to the Constitution can be proposed by two-thirds of both houses of Congress or by a national convention requested by two-thirds of state legislatures. Once proposed, amendments become operative when ratified by three-fourths of the states (38 out of 50).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of amendments to the Constitution | 27 |
| First 10 amendments | Known as the Bill of Rights |
| First Amendment | Freedom of speech and freedom of religion |
| Second Amendment | Right to keep and bear arms |
| Fourth Amendment | Citizens' right to be free from unreasonable government intrusion in their homes |
| Ninth Amendment | Powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution are reserved to the States or to the people |
| Eleventh Amendment | Passed by Congress on March 4, 1794 |
| Twelfth Amendment | Passed by Congress on December 9, 1803 |
| Nineteenth Amendment | Passed by Congress on June 4, 1919; granted women the right to vote |
| Twentieth Amendment | Passed by Congress on March 2, 1932 |
| Twenty-first Amendment | Ratified by a national convention |
| Twenty-fourth Amendment | Passed by Congress on August 27, 1962 |
| Number of proposals to amend the Constitution since 1789 | ~11,848 |
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What You'll Learn
The Bill of Rights
The United States Bill of Rights comprises the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. It was proposed following the 1787–88 debate over the ratification of the Constitution, which was written in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by delegates from 12 states. The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution because the Constitution lacked limits on government power. Federalists advocated for a strong national government, while Anti-Federalists wanted power to remain with state and local governments and favoured a bill of rights to safeguard individual liberty.
The amendments of the Bill of Rights add to the Constitution specific guarantees of personal freedoms, such as freedom of speech, the right to publish, practice religion, possess firearms, and assemble. They also include explicit declarations that all powers not specifically granted to the federal government by the Constitution are reserved to the states or the people. The concepts codified in these amendments are built upon those in earlier documents, especially the Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776), the Northwest Ordinance (1787), the English Bill of Rights (1689), and the Magna Carta (1215).
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The first 10 amendments
The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, also known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. They were written by James Madison as a solution to limit government power and protect individual liberties. Madison's proposed amendments were presented as a list that would follow Article VII, and the House approved 17 of them. The Senate approved 12, which were sent to the states for approval in August 1789.
The first ten amendments add to the Constitution specific guarantees of personal freedoms, such as freedom of speech, the right to publish, freedom of religion, the right to peaceably assemble, and the right to bear arms. The Third Amendment, for example, states that no soldier shall be quartered in any home without the owner's consent, even in times of peace or war. The Fourth Amendment protects citizens' rights to be free from unreasonable government intrusion in their homes and requires a warrant for any searches and seizures.
The Sixth Amendment provides additional protections for people accused of crimes, such as the right to a speedy and public trial, the right to an impartial jury trial, and the right to be informed of criminal charges. The accused is also allowed their own witnesses and to be represented by a lawyer. The Seventh Amendment extends the right to a jury trial in federal civil cases.
The Eighth Amendment prohibits excessive bail and fines, as well as cruel and unusual punishment. The Ninth Amendment clarifies that the listing of specific rights in the Constitution does not mean that people do not retain other rights not explicitly mentioned. Finally, the Tenth Amendment states that the federal government only has the powers delegated to it by the Constitution, with all other powers being reserved for the states or the people.
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The process of amending the constitution
The United States Constitution is a powerful document that has been amended many times to reflect the nation's evolving values and needs. The process of amending this crucial document is outlined in Article Five and involves two crucial steps: proposal and ratification. This process was designed to balance the need for change with stability. Here is a detailed overview of the process:
Proposal
The first step in amending the Constitution is for an amendment to be proposed. This can occur in two ways. Firstly, the U.S. Congress can propose an amendment when a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives agree on its necessity. This is the more commonly used method, with Congress members typically proposing around 200 amendments during each two-year term. Alternatively, a national convention called by Congress on the application of two-thirds of state legislatures can propose an amendment. However, this method has never been used.
Ratification
Once an amendment is proposed, it must be ratified to become part of the Constitution. Ratification can occur through state legislatures or state ratifying conventions. An amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of the states (38 since 1959) to become operative. The Twenty-first Amendment, repealing the Eighteenth Amendment and ending prohibition, is the only amendment ratified through a state ratifying convention. When an amendment is ratified, the Archivist of the United States issues a certificate confirming its addition to the Constitution.
History of Amendments
Since the Constitution came into operation on March 4, 1789, there have been numerous attempts to amend it. Approximately 11,848 proposals have been introduced in Congress, with 33 amendments proposed by Congress and sent to the states for ratification. Twenty-seven amendments have been successfully ratified and are now part of the Constitution. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified simultaneously on December 15, 1791, and address essential freedoms and rights, including freedom of speech and due process. The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments, known as the Reconstruction Amendments, were also significant additions.
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The Second Amendment
> "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."
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The Reconstruction Amendments
The 13th Amendment, proposed in 1864 and ratified on December 6, 1865, abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. It changed a portion of Article IV, Section 2 of the Constitution, which previously only sparingly mentioned slavery.
The 14th Amendment, proposed in 1866 and ratified on July 9, 1868, addresses citizenship rights and equal protection under the laws for all persons. It grants citizenship to "all persons born or naturalized in the United States," thereby granting citizenship to formerly enslaved people. It also ensures due process and prohibits states from depriving any person of life, liberty, or property without it. The 14th Amendment changed a portion of Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution.
The 15th Amendment, proposed in 1869 and ratified on February 3, 1870, prohibits federal and state governments from denying citizens the right to vote based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." It was the third and final Reconstruction Amendment and ensured that newly granted civil and political rights could not be easily repealed.
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Frequently asked questions
The U.S. Constitution was written in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The U.S. Constitution was written in 1787.
The Bill of Rights, comprising the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, was ratified on December 15, 1791.
There have been 27 amendments to the Constitution to date.
