Transcript AP_US_Government_files/3 Amending the Constitution

Amending the Constitution
Making changes to the Constitution is
called amending the Constitution.
There are 27 amendments to the United
States Constitution.
Amending the Constitution

Framers of the Constitution wanted the
document to be flexible, but they did not want to
make it too easy to make changes. Article V of
the Constitution describes 2 ways to Amend the
Constitution.
 If 2/3 of both the House and Senate propose a
change, an amendment must be ratified by
either ¾ of the state legislatures or conventions
in ¾ of the states before it can be part of the
Constitution.
Amending the Constitution

OR a national convention called by Congress or
requested by 2/3 of the state legislatures may
propose a change.
 The proposed change must still be approved by
either ¾ of the state legislatures or conventions
in ¾ of the states before it can be part of the
Constitution.
The Bill of Rights
The first 10 amendments to the
Constitution are called the Bill
of Rights.
The Bill of Rights

The First Amendment protects individual liberties
like the freedom of speech, and the press. It
also protects the right to assemble in protest,
and ask the government to change its policies.
There are limits to these liberties. A newspaper
cannot print lies about somebody if they know
they are printing lies.
 The Second Amendment describes the right to
keep and bear arms.
 The Third Amendment prevents Congress from
forcing people to keep troops in their homes.
The Bill of Rights

The Fourth Amendment protects Americans from
unlawful searches of their home or property.
 The Fifth Amendment prevents Americans from
incriminating, or giving evidence, against
themselves.
 The Sixth Amendment guarantees a speedy
public trial by a fair jury. People who are
accused of a crime have the right to know what
they are accused of; and they have a right to
confront the people who are making charges
against them.
The Bill of Rights
 The
Seventh Amendment calls for jury
trials in civil, or non-criminal, cases.
 The Eighth Amendment prevents judges
from setting excessive bail or fines, or
imposing “cruel and unusual punishment”.
 The Ninth Amendment says individual
rights are not limited to only those listed in
the Constitution.
The Bill of Rights
 The
Tenth Amendment says that powers
not given to the national government or
denied to the states are reserved for the
states or for the people.
Additional Amendments
Among other things, amendments
that were added later abolished
slavery, guaranteed voting rights
for African Americans and women,
and allowed 18 year olds to vote.
Additional Amendments
 The
Thirteenth Amendment abolished
slavery.
 The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees
equal protection under the law and due
process rights to citizens of the United
States.
 The Fifteenth Amendment prevents the
denial of voting rights based “on race,
color, or previous condition of servitude”.
Additional Amendments
 Women
received the right to vote with the
passage of the Nineteenth Amendment.
 The Twenty-sixth Amendment lowered the
voting age in national elections to 18 years
of age.
 The Eighteenth Amendment prohibited the
manufacturing, sale, and distribution of
alcohol in the United States.
Additional Amendments
 The
Twenty-first Amendment canceled the
Eighteenth Amendment.
 The Twenty-fourth Amendment outlawed
the use of poll taxes for national elections.