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.