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The United States Constitution has been amended 27 times since it was ratified in 1788. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791. The most recent amendment to be ratified was the 27th Amendment in 1992, which was proposed in 1789. Amendments must be proposed and ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures before becoming operative. This process was designed to balance the need for change with stability.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Amendments to the Constitution | 27 |
| First 10 Amendments | Ratified on December 15, 1791, known as the Bill of Rights |
| Eleventh Amendment | Passed by Congress on March 4, 1794, and ratified on February 7, 1795 |
| Twelfth Amendment | Passed by Congress on December 9, 1803, and ratified on June 15, 1804 |
| Thirteenth Amendment | Passed by Congress on June 13, 1866, and ratified on July 9, 1868 |
| Sixteenth Amendment | Passed by Congress on July 2, 1909, and ratified on February 3, 1913 |
| Seventeenth Amendment | Passed by Congress on May 13, 1912, and ratified on April 8, 1913 |
| Twenty-first Amendment | Ratified in 1933, repealed the Eighteenth Amendment |
| Twenty-seventh Amendment | Ratified in 1992, 203 years after it was proposed |
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What You'll Learn
The first 10 amendments, ratified in 1791, are the Bill of Rights
On September 25, 1789, the First Congress of the United States proposed 12 amendments to the Constitution. Ten of these proposed amendments were ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures on December 15, 1791, and became the first 10 amendments of the Constitution, also known as the Bill of Rights.
The Bill of Rights spells out Americans' rights in relation to their government. It guarantees civil rights and liberties to the individual, such as freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion. It also sets rules for due process of law and reserves all powers not delegated to the Federal Government to the people or the States.
The First Amendment provides several rights protections, including the freedom of speech and the press, the right to assemble or gather with a group to protest or for other reasons, and the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances. It also protects the right to religious beliefs and practices and prevents the government from creating or favoring a religion.
The Second Amendment is the right to bear arms. The Third Amendment prevents the government from forcing homeowners to allow soldiers to use their homes. The Fourth Amendment bars the government from unreasonable searches and seizures of an individual or their private property.
The Fifth Amendment provides several protections for people accused of crimes, including the right against self-incrimination and the right to due process of law. The Sixth Amendment provides additional protections, including the right to a speedy and public trial and trial by an impartial jury in criminal cases. The Seventh Amendment extends the right to a jury trial in Federal civil cases.
The Constitution: Amendments and their Prohibitions
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The 11th Amendment was ratified in 1795
The Eleventh Amendment (Amendment XI) was ratified on February 7, 1795, by the state legislatures of twelve states. It was the first Constitutional Amendment adopted after the Bill of Rights, which was ratified on December 15, 1791. The Eleventh Amendment restricts the ability of individuals to bring suit against states of which they are not citizens in federal court.
The Amendment was proposed by the 3rd Congress on March 4, 1794, and passed by the House of Representatives by a vote of 81-9, having been previously passed by the Senate on January 14, 1794, with a vote of 23-2. The Eleventh Amendment clarified Article III, Section 2 of the Constitution, which gives diversity jurisdiction to the judiciary to hear cases "between a state and citizens of another state."
The Amendment was adopted following the Supreme Court's ruling in Chisholm v. Georgia (1793), in which the Court held that federal courts had the authority to hear cases brought by private citizens against states and that states did not enjoy sovereign immunity from such suits. The Eleventh Amendment established that federal courts do not have the authority to hear cases brought by private parties against a state of which they are not citizens.
The applicability of the Eleventh Amendment to unincorporated U.S. territories, where constitutional rights do not fully apply, remained unclear for nearly two centuries after its ratification. In 1983, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit ruled that Puerto Rico enjoys Eleventh Amendment immunity, while subsequent rulings have determined that other unincorporated territories do not.
The Last Constitutional Amendment: When Was It?
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The 12th Amendment superseded Article II, section 1 in 1804
The 12th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified on June 15, 1804, superseding a portion of Article II, Section 1. This amendment was first proposed by Congress on December 9, 1803, and was subsequently ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures, with 13 out of 17 states approving it.
The 12th Amendment changed the process of electing the president and vice president, replacing the procedure outlined in Article II, Section 1, Clause 3, which governed the functioning of the Electoral College. The original Electoral College system allowed each member to cast two electoral votes without distinguishing between votes for president and vice president. The presidential candidate with the most votes was elected president, and the runner-up became vice president.
The 12th Amendment introduced a new rule requiring electors to cast separate votes for president and vice president. This amendment took effect for the 1804 presidential election and has governed all subsequent elections. It is important to note that while the 12th Amendment changed the election process, it did not alter the composition of the Electoral College itself.
The US Constitution has seen 27 amendments, with the first 10 amendments collectively known as the Bill of Rights, ratified on December 15, 1791. Amendments 11 to 27 further modified various sections of the Constitution, including Article III, section 2, and Article IV, section 2. These amendments were proposed and ratified at different times, with the latest amendment, the 27th, ratified in 1992.
The Evolution of Constitutional Amendments: A Historical Perspective
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The 13th Amendment abolished slavery in 1868
The 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution abolished slavery and prohibited involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. It was passed by Congress on January 31, 1865, and ratified on December 6, 1865, by three-fourths of the state legislatures. The 13th Amendment was a significant milestone in American history, ending legal slavery and starting the country on the long road toward achieving equality for all citizens.
The road to the 13th Amendment began in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. This proclamation declared that "all persons held as slaves within any State... in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free." However, the Emancipation Proclamation did not end slavery nationwide as it only applied to Confederate states in rebellion and not to the "border states" that had remained in the Union.
Lincoln and other leaders recognised that a constitutional amendment was necessary to truly abolish slavery across the nation. The 13th Amendment was passed at the end of the Civil War, but it faced opposition in the House and took time to gain approval. The amendment's ratification in 1865 marked a pivotal moment in American history, ending the debate over the legality of slavery and setting the stage for the Reconstruction Era.
The 13th Amendment is one of three Civil War amendments, along with the 14th and 15th Amendments, that significantly expanded civil rights in the United States. While it did not end discrimination against those who had been enslaved, it laid the foundation for future progress and remains a cornerstone of American freedom and equality. With this amendment, the nation took a crucial step toward fulfilling its promise of liberty and justice for all.
Amendments to the Constitution: A Historical Timeline
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The 16th Amendment gave Congress power to collect taxes in 1913
The 16th Amendment to the US Constitution, which gave Congress the power to collect taxes, was ratified on February 3, 1913. This amendment, also known as Amendment XVI, established Congress's right to impose a federal income tax without apportioning it among the states based on population. The official text of the amendment states:
> The Congress shall have 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.
The 16th Amendment was passed by Congress on July 2, 1909, and was formally accepted into the Constitution just one month before the inauguration of President Woodrow Wilson. The amendment came about as a result of political and social reform during the Progressive Era, which took place at the end of the 19th century. During this time, progressive groups advocated for a federal income tax, arguing that it would be a fairer method of taxation, with wealthy individuals contributing more.
Prior to the 16th Amendment, most federal revenue was derived from tariffs and excise taxes, with the majority of funds coming from tariffs on domestic and international goods. The 1894 Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act included an income tax provision, but it was not considered a "direct" tax, which would have required it to be apportioned among the states. The Revenue Act of 1913, enacted shortly after the ratification of the 16th Amendment, further solidified Congress's power to impose a federal income tax.
The ratification of the 16th Amendment had far-reaching social and economic impacts. It changed the way the federal government received funding and enabled expansive federal government spending. Critics of the amendment, however, argue that it facilitates central banking policies and have called for its repeal. Overall, the 16th Amendment marked a significant shift in the American way of life and the federal government's power to collect taxes.
The Constitution's Double Jeopardy Protection Amendment
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Frequently asked questions
There have been 27 amendments to the US Constitution.
The first 10 amendments are known as the Bill of Rights.
The first 10 amendments were ratified on December 15, 1791.
The 11th Amendment states that the Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State. It was ratified on February 7, 1795.
The 21st Amendment, ratified in 1933, repealed the Eighteenth Amendment (ratified in 1919), which prohibited alcohol.
![Ratification of the Twenty-First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States [1938]: State Convention Records and Laws](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71KMq9r2YgL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
