Constitution
Lesson 2
Amending the Constitution
U S const. hhas bbeen iin use ffor over 200 years
U.S.
- longer than any other written const. in the world.
U.S. History
y
1789 – less than 4 million people
- agricultural society
- traveled
l d by
b horse
h
or by
b sea
Present – over 270 million people
- 50 states,, across the continent
- powerful, modern, envy of the world!
- How can the const. survive all these changes?
- It can be changed! Æ formal or informal amendments
A. Formal Amendment Process
1 amendment – change to written words
1.
2. formal amendment – change or addition which is part of the
written language of the const.
a) 1st Method
- proposed
d bby 2/3 vote in
i eachh house
h
- ratified by ¾ of state legislatures
- 26 of 27 amendments have been done this way.
b) 2nd Method
- proposed by Congress
- ratified by conventions of ¾ of the states
- only 21st amendment – repealed 18thh (prohibition)
c) 3rd Method
- proposed by a national convention
- called by congress @ request of ¾ of states leg.
- ratified by ¾ of the states
d) 4th Method
- proposed by a national convention
- ratified by conventions of ¾ states
- this is how the const. was adopted
3. No amendment may take away equality of any state!
4. Federal Æ proposed @ national – approved at state level
5. amendments are not signed by Pres.
- not considered laws, sent to states for approval
6. critics want conventions to vote, not legislatures
- legislators are elected for different reasons
- 1920 – Hawke vs.
vs Smith – states can hold an advisory
vote before the leg. votes.
7. States may vote “NO” & change their minds later.
- cannot change mind if they vote “YES
YES.”
8. Over 10,000 amendments have been considered.
- only 33 have been sent to the states
- only 27 have been ratified
B. The 27 Amendments
- states would not ratify the constitution without the Bill of Rights
1. 1789 – 1st 10 Amendments Æ ratified in 1791 - Bill of Rights
- set out guarantees of individual freedom &
equal treatment.
2. Civil War Amendments
- 13th – 15th Æ approved right after the Civil War
- 13th – ended slavery
- 14th – gave citizenship to slaves
- 15th – voting rights (not based on race)
3. 27th Amendment
- proposed in 1789
- took 200 years for states to ratify it - 1992
- outlines congressional pay