Amendments to the Constitution

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Amendments to the Constitution
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The Constitution

• Has only been amended (changed)
• 26 times 27 times.
• The first 10 The Bill of Rights-all ratified in
  1791
• Theyre all important, but some have had a bigger
  influence on history than others have.

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How to Amend the ConstitutionArticle 5 of
Constitution

• Amendments may be proposed in one of two ways.
• Two thirds vote of each house of Congress (Senate
  and House of Representatives
• National convention called by Congress at the
  request of two thirds of the states (never used
  so far)
• Amendments can then be formally approved or
  ratified in one of two ways
• Legislatures in three-fourths of the states
  ratify the amendment.
• States call for a special ratifying convention.
  (Only used once for Amendment 21, which revoked
  Amendment 18 Prohibition)

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Amendment 1

• Protects freedom of religion, speech, press,
  assembly, and petition.

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Amendment 2

• Allows citizens to bear arms and keep state
  militia

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Amendment 3

• Prohibits quartering of troops in civilian homes

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Amendment 4

• Prohibits searches and seizures without a
  warrant, unless the police have probable cause or
  reasonable suspicion.

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Amendment 5

• Lists rights of people who were accused of a
  crime.
• Due Process
• Double Jeopardy
• Self incrimination
• ALSO PRIVATE PROPERTY
• Eminent Domain

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Amendment 6

• Right to a fair and speedy trial-in criminal cases

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7th Amendment

• Rights in a Civil Trial.
• If the amount in dispute is more than 20, you
  have a right to trial by jury.
• (Congress has actually increased this amount to
  75,000)

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Amendment 8

• Prohibits excessive bail and cruel and unusual
  punishment

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9th Amendment

• UNENUMERATED RIGHTS OF CITIZENS.
• You have rights that may not be written down.

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Amendment 10

• The powers not delegated to the United States by
  the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the
  States, are reserved to the States, or to the
  people.

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Amendments 11 (1798)

• Amendment 11 prohibits a citizen of one state
  or a citizen of another country from suing
  another state in federal court. However, a
  citizen may file suit in federal court against
  state authorities for depriving that person of
  constitutional rights.

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Amendment 12

• Requires members of the Electoral College to cast
  two separate ballots one for president and one
  for vice-president. Ratified in 1804.
• Its a tie Election of 1800 was a tie
• between Aaron Burr and
• Thomas Jefferson and
• The House of Representatives
• cast the deciding vote
• in the election, this
• was seen as unfair.
• Second place winner
• before this amendment
• became vice-president,
• caused problems and anger.

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The Civil War Amendments13th-1865, 14th-1868,
15th-1870

• 13th Amendment
• 14th Amendment
• 15th Amendment

• All slaves would now be free.
• Formers slaves were now American citizens (and
  should be treated equally). Defines citizenship,
  due process, and contains the Equal Protection
  Clause.
• Former slaves had the right to vote (men).

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16th Amendment

• 16th Amendment
• Congress can collect a tax on peoples income.
• Ratified in 1913.

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17th AmendmentRatified in 1913

• States that people instead of the state
  legislature elect U.S senators. Prior to this
  amendment State Legislators elected Senators.

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18th Amendment

• 18th Amendment (1919) Prohibition Illegal to
  make, sell, or transport alcohol in any way. 21st
  Repealed this in 1933.

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19th Amendment

• Women get the right to vote

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20th Amendment

• Changes the date of the inauguration to January
  20. Called lame duck amendment because it refers
  to an elected officials attitude after losing an
  election or soon to be leaving office. It also
  moved the date for each opening session of
  Congress to January 3.

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21st Amendment Repeals prohibition. The control
of alcohol goes back to the States. Did away
with the 18thAmendment.
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More

• 22nd Amendment 1951
• No one can ever be elected President more
  than twice.

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23rd Amendment

• Grants residents of District of Columbia the
  right to vote in presidential elections (1961).
  The Federal District receives 3 Electoral Votes.

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24th Amendment 1964Poll taxes are
illegal.Citizens will no longer have to pay for
voting.
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25th Presidential Disability

• Vice President
• Presidential Succession Act of 1947
• Speaker of the House
• President Pro Tempore of the Senate
• Secretary of State
• Secretary of the Treasury
• Secretary of Defense
• Attorney General
• Secretary of the Interior
• Secretary of Agriculture
• Secretary of Commerce
• Secretary of Labor
• Secretary of Health and Human Services
• Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
• Secretary of Transportation
• Secretary of Energy
• Secretary of Education
• Secretary of Veterans Affairs

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And

• 25th Amendment 1967
• If the President cant be in power, the Vice
  President takes over.
• If theres no Vice President, the President can
  name a new one (approved by the Senate)
• If the President is sick, he can temporarily give
  power to the Vice President.

• 26th Amendment
• Lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 (in
  1971)

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The 27th Amendment

• Congress cannot vote itself a pay raise any pay
  raise only counts for the next Congress