Additional Amendments

13th Amendment Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

13th Amendment translation… Slavery illegal.

14th Amendment, Section 1 Section 1 All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

14th Amendment, Sec. 1 translation… Due process is applied to the STATES Originally the Bill of Rights was only intended for the Federal government There are 5 sections to the 14th Amendment; Section 1 is the most important

15th Amendment The right of the citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

15th Amendment translation… Right to vote for all former slaves

17th Amendment The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years…

17th Amendment translation… Senators now elected by the people Previously were elected by state legislators

19th Amendment The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

19th Amendment translation… Right to vote for women

22nd Amendment No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of President more than once.

22nd Amendment translation… Two-term limit on the presidency Max of 10 years in office How do you get 10 years? Someone serving less than two years of someone else’s term can still run twice. 2+4+4 = 10.

26th Amendment The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridge by the United States or by any State on account of age.

26th Amendment translation… Right to vote for citizens over the age of 18.

Other Amendment Scenarios For each scenario, identify which Amendment is in question and explain how it has been violated. All scenarios are unconstitutional.

Scenario #1 The state of South Carolina passes a law where criminals can now be owned as slaves.

Scenario #2 A 19-year old is not allowed to register to vote because he is too young.

Scenario #3 In 1870, Mississippi passed a law declaring that anyone who was a former slave could not vote.

Scenario #4 Mayor Rahm Emmanuel selects two senators to represent Illinois.

Scenario #5 When he is arrested for speeding in Indiana, Mr. McComas is sent straight to prison without a trial. The state says that because it was a state law that was violated, they do not have to follow due process as the Constitution says.

Scenario #6 The federal government passes a law requiring women to pay a tax before voting.

Scenario #7 While Mr. McComas is vice-president, he serves two and a half years while the elected president is sick. After that, he serves as president twice more.