The Amendment Process
An Amendment is a change in any document such as the United States Constitution. The first ten Amendments were approved, or ratified, and put into effect immediately. Thirty-three Amendments have been proposed but only twenty-seven were ratified and put in the Constitution.
There are two methods for proposing an Amendment. The first is having 2/3 of both the House of Representatives and the Senate agree that an Amendment is necessary. The other is at a convention called by 2/3 of the States. This means that it is very hard to propose an Amendment, as you would have to have the support of a very large majority.
Ratifying an Amendment can only be done if 2/3 of states agree to approve the proposed Amendment. Congress can set a time limit on the Amendment ratification up to seven years.
There are two methods for proposing an Amendment. The first is having 2/3 of both the House of Representatives and the Senate agree that an Amendment is necessary. The other is at a convention called by 2/3 of the States. This means that it is very hard to propose an Amendment, as you would have to have the support of a very large majority.
Ratifying an Amendment can only be done if 2/3 of states agree to approve the proposed Amendment. Congress can set a time limit on the Amendment ratification up to seven years.
The 27 Ratified Amendments
1st Amendment - Prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise of a religion, denying the freedom of speech, freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably assemble, or petitioning the government for a redress of grievances.
A violation of the First Amendment would be a law that promotes any single religion.
2nd Amendment - The right to keep and bear arms.
A violation of the Second Amendment would be the government preventing anyone from having a firearm
3rd Amendment - The right to reject soldiers in private homes without the consent of the owner during peacetime.
A violation of the Third Amendment would be soldiers forcing someone to allow them to stay in their home
4th Amendment - No unreasonable searches and seizures. Requires warrants based on probable cause as determined by a judge.
A violation of the Fourth Amendment would be the police searching your home because you have the same hair color as the victim of a crime.
5th Amendment - Sets rules for eminent domain, protects the right to due process and prohibits self incrimination and double jeopardy.
A violation of the Fifth Amendment would be the police forcing someone to talk before they have a lawyer present.
6th Amendment - The Right to a fair a speedy public trial by jury, to confront the accuser, and to retain counsel.
A violation of the Sixth Amendment would be someone being convicted of a crime without ever having a trial.
7th Amendment - The right to trial by jury in civil cases.
A violation of the Seventh Amendment would be disallowing someone to have a trial by jury in certain civil cases.
8th Amendment - Forbids excessive fines, bail, and cruel and unusual punishment.
A violation of the Eighth Amendment would be a punishment that is both cruel and unusual, such as being beheaded in a public square.
9th Amendment - Protects rights of the people not mentioned in the Constitution.
The Ninth Amendment rights include those such as abortion or euthanasia.
10th Amendment - States that the federal government only has the powers given to it by the states or the people through the Constitution.
The Tenth Amendment would be states having the right to choose whether or not to allow gay marriage until it was federally legalized.
11th Amendment - State's immunity from suits from out-of-state citizens, sovereign immunity.
An example of the Eleventh Amendment would be the State of New York protecting itself from being sued in a Federal court by people from a foreign country or out of state.
12th Amendment - Revises Presidential election procedures.
The Twelfth Amendment established separate voting for President and Vice President
13th Amendment - Abolishes slavery and involuntary servitude except for punishment for a crime.
A violation of the Thirteenth Amendment would be someone forcing another person to serve them.
14th Amendment - Defines citizenship, Due Process Clause, Protection Clause, post-Civil War issues.
A violation of the Fourteenth Amendment would be a state denying anyone equal protection of the law, or treating an individual differently than another under the same circumstances.
15th Amendment - Prohibits the denial of the right to vote based on race or color.
A violation of the Fifteenth Amendment would be denying someone the right to vote because they were not white.
16th Amendment - Allows Congress to collect taxes on incomes.
A violation of the Sixteenth Amendment would be the states trying to prevent Congress from laying tax laws
17th Amendment - Direct election of U.S. Senators by popular vote.
The Seventeenth Amendment was put in place to better represent the majority of the United States citizens.
18th Amendment - Prohibits the manufacturing and sale of alcohol.
The Eighteenth Amendment was heavily violated during prohibition because people were making their own alcohol secretly.
19th Amendment - Allows women to vote
A violation of the Nineteenth Amendment would be disallowing a woman to vote solely based on her gender.
20th Amendment - Changes the date on which the terms of the President and Vice president and Senators and Representatives begin and end.
21st Amendment - Repeals the 18th Amendment and allows states to regulate alcohol.
The Twenty-First Amendment was added because the government was wasting resources on preventing the manufacturing of alcohol.
22nd Amendment - Sets term limits for the President.
If a president tried to serve longer than eight years he would be violating the Twenty-Second Amendment.
23rd Amendment - District of Columbia is given electors in the Electoral College.
The Twenty-Third Amendment was put in place because the District of Columbia was not represented in the Electoral College.
24th Amendment - Allows people to vote regardless of unpaid taxes.
A violation of the Twenty-Fourth Amendment would be preventing someone to vote because they didn't have their debts paid.
25th Amendment - Vice President succeeds the President in the event of a disability or death.
The Twenty-Fifth Amendment was put in place so in the event of a president's death there would not be an open position and the country would have a leader.
26th Amendment - Allows those over the age of 18 to vote.
The Twenty-Sixth Amendment was added because 18 year olds are capable of deciding who they want in charge of their lives.
27th Amendment - Pay raises or decreases for members of Congress.
A violation of the Twenty-Seventh Amendment would be members of Congress trying to increase pay before the next term of office for the representatives.
A violation of the First Amendment would be a law that promotes any single religion.
2nd Amendment - The right to keep and bear arms.
A violation of the Second Amendment would be the government preventing anyone from having a firearm
3rd Amendment - The right to reject soldiers in private homes without the consent of the owner during peacetime.
A violation of the Third Amendment would be soldiers forcing someone to allow them to stay in their home
4th Amendment - No unreasonable searches and seizures. Requires warrants based on probable cause as determined by a judge.
A violation of the Fourth Amendment would be the police searching your home because you have the same hair color as the victim of a crime.
5th Amendment - Sets rules for eminent domain, protects the right to due process and prohibits self incrimination and double jeopardy.
A violation of the Fifth Amendment would be the police forcing someone to talk before they have a lawyer present.
6th Amendment - The Right to a fair a speedy public trial by jury, to confront the accuser, and to retain counsel.
A violation of the Sixth Amendment would be someone being convicted of a crime without ever having a trial.
7th Amendment - The right to trial by jury in civil cases.
A violation of the Seventh Amendment would be disallowing someone to have a trial by jury in certain civil cases.
8th Amendment - Forbids excessive fines, bail, and cruel and unusual punishment.
A violation of the Eighth Amendment would be a punishment that is both cruel and unusual, such as being beheaded in a public square.
9th Amendment - Protects rights of the people not mentioned in the Constitution.
The Ninth Amendment rights include those such as abortion or euthanasia.
10th Amendment - States that the federal government only has the powers given to it by the states or the people through the Constitution.
The Tenth Amendment would be states having the right to choose whether or not to allow gay marriage until it was federally legalized.
11th Amendment - State's immunity from suits from out-of-state citizens, sovereign immunity.
An example of the Eleventh Amendment would be the State of New York protecting itself from being sued in a Federal court by people from a foreign country or out of state.
12th Amendment - Revises Presidential election procedures.
The Twelfth Amendment established separate voting for President and Vice President
13th Amendment - Abolishes slavery and involuntary servitude except for punishment for a crime.
A violation of the Thirteenth Amendment would be someone forcing another person to serve them.
14th Amendment - Defines citizenship, Due Process Clause, Protection Clause, post-Civil War issues.
A violation of the Fourteenth Amendment would be a state denying anyone equal protection of the law, or treating an individual differently than another under the same circumstances.
15th Amendment - Prohibits the denial of the right to vote based on race or color.
A violation of the Fifteenth Amendment would be denying someone the right to vote because they were not white.
16th Amendment - Allows Congress to collect taxes on incomes.
A violation of the Sixteenth Amendment would be the states trying to prevent Congress from laying tax laws
17th Amendment - Direct election of U.S. Senators by popular vote.
The Seventeenth Amendment was put in place to better represent the majority of the United States citizens.
18th Amendment - Prohibits the manufacturing and sale of alcohol.
The Eighteenth Amendment was heavily violated during prohibition because people were making their own alcohol secretly.
19th Amendment - Allows women to vote
A violation of the Nineteenth Amendment would be disallowing a woman to vote solely based on her gender.
20th Amendment - Changes the date on which the terms of the President and Vice president and Senators and Representatives begin and end.
21st Amendment - Repeals the 18th Amendment and allows states to regulate alcohol.
The Twenty-First Amendment was added because the government was wasting resources on preventing the manufacturing of alcohol.
22nd Amendment - Sets term limits for the President.
If a president tried to serve longer than eight years he would be violating the Twenty-Second Amendment.
23rd Amendment - District of Columbia is given electors in the Electoral College.
The Twenty-Third Amendment was put in place because the District of Columbia was not represented in the Electoral College.
24th Amendment - Allows people to vote regardless of unpaid taxes.
A violation of the Twenty-Fourth Amendment would be preventing someone to vote because they didn't have their debts paid.
25th Amendment - Vice President succeeds the President in the event of a disability or death.
The Twenty-Fifth Amendment was put in place so in the event of a president's death there would not be an open position and the country would have a leader.
26th Amendment - Allows those over the age of 18 to vote.
The Twenty-Sixth Amendment was added because 18 year olds are capable of deciding who they want in charge of their lives.
27th Amendment - Pay raises or decreases for members of Congress.
A violation of the Twenty-Seventh Amendment would be members of Congress trying to increase pay before the next term of office for the representatives.