1. Chapter 3, Section 2 Formal Amendment

2. The Constitution has lasted more than 200 years because it has changed with the times. Many of its words and their meanings are the same, but some words have been changed, eliminated, or added – and some of the meanings have been modified as well.

3. The Framers knew that even the best Constitution would need revision at some point. Thus, the Constitution provides for its own amendment – changes in written words.

4. The alterations to the constitution have occurred in two ways:  Through formal amendments, or changes.  Through informal amendments, or changes.

5. First Method There are four methods for amendment of the Constitution.  An amendment may be proposed by a two-thirds vote in each house of Congress.  It must then be ratified by three- fourths of the State legislatures

6. 38 State legislatures must approve an amendment for it to become part of the Constitution. 26 of the Constitution's 27 amendments were adopted by this first method.

7. Second Method  An amendment may be proposed by Congress.  It must then be ratified by three- fourths of the States Only the 21 st Amendment, added in 1933, was adopted this way,only because public opinion called for it.

8. Third Method  An amendment may be proposed by a national convention, called by Congress at the request of two- thirds of the State legislatures.  It must then be ratified by three- fourths of the States  This method has never been used.

9. Fourth Method  An amendment may be proposed by a national convention, then ratified by conventions in three- fourths of the States.  This was the same way in which the Constitution was adopted.  This method has never been used.

10. The summary of all four methods below shows the accent on the principle of federalism in the amendment process.

11. Note that the formal amendment process emphasizes the federal character of the governmental system. The proposal takes place at the national level and ratification is a State-by-State manner.

12. The first 10 amendments are called the Bill of Rights. Congress proposed all of them in 1789 because many people refused to support the Constitution unless the Federal Government protected these basic rights.

13. The first 10 amendments were added to Constitution all at one time and became the Bill of Rights. The other 17 amendments were added over time and one-at-a-time using the amendment processes.

14. When Congress makes a resolution calling for an amendment, it is not sent to the President for a veto. This is because a resolution only proposes an amendment, or law, but does not pass the law.

15. Each of the Constitutional amendments deserves study, but the short list is shown above.