amenmdent process

• The Amendment Process

  • Two-thirds of Congress or two-thirds of states must propose an amendment.
  • ¾ of states must ratify it for the amendment to pass.
• The Bill of Rights (1791)

  • 1st Amendment: Freedom of speech and religion.
  • 2nd Amendment: Right to bear arms.
  • 4th Amendment: Protection against unreasonable searches.
  • 6th Amendment: Right to a trial by jury and a lawyer.
  • 8th Amendment: Protection from cruel and unusual punishment.
  • 10th Amendment: Powers not given to the federal government go to the states or people.
• Other key Amendments

  • 13th: Abolished slavery.
  • 14th: Civil rights for ex-slaves.
  • 15th: Gave voting rights to Black men.
  • 19th: Women’s right to vote.
  • 22nd: Limits the President to two terms.
  • 26th: Voting age changed to 18.
  • Total of 27 amendments, the most recent in 1992.
• Step 1: Proposal of an Amendment

  An amendment can be proposed in two ways:

  1. By Congress (Most Common Method) – Requires a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate. (Example: 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery).
  2. By a National Convention (Never Used) – Called if two-thirds (34) of state legislatures request it, but never utilized due to its unpredictability.
• Step 2: Ratification of an Amendment

  Once proposed, an amendment must be ratified in one of two ways:

  • By State Legislatures (Most Common) – Approved by three-fourths (38) of state legislatures. (Example: 19th Amendment, women's suffrage.)
  • By State Conventions (Rarely Used) – Approved by three-fourths of state conventions. (Example: 21st Amendment, repealing Prohibition.)