1. Changing the Constitution

2. How has the Constitution been able to survive for over 200 years?

3. The Formal Amendment Process
First Method- 2/3 vote in each house of Congress and be ratified by ¾ of the State legislatures.

4. Second Method- An amendment may be proposed by Congress and then ratified by special conventions in ¾ of the states.

5. More than 10.000 joint resolutions calling for amendments to the Constitution have been proposed.
Only 33 have been sent to the States.
Only 27 have been ratified.

6. The Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights states individual freedoms and protections.
The 10th Amendment states that all power not given to the Federal Government will be left to the States.

7. Other Means of Change
1. Basic Legislation- Congress has passed many laws to expand government using the power granted by the constitution.

8. Executive Action- The way presidents exercise their authority

9. Court Decisions- Courts interpret and apply the Constitution to the cases they hear.

10. Party practices- the impact of the major political parties on government.

11. Custom- unwritten customs have become a part of our constitutional system.
Example
President’s Cabinet
Vice president becomes president