Learning Materials
Features
Discover
Imagine a teacher so tough on grading essays that you have to get work pre-approved by most of your classmates and the majority of your school's teachers- before you can turn them in! The amendment process to the Constitution is so challenging that few amendments survive the grueling process with its demanding requirements. Since the Bill of Rights was passed, only 17 amendments have been added to the Constitution. In this summary, we detail the timeline, and process and look at the impact of these changes to the structure of our federal government.
Millions of flashcards designed to help you ace your studies
Sign up for freeCongress can, by a _____-_______ vote of both the House and Senate, suggest amendments to the Constitution, or, in response to an initiative from two-thirds of the state legislatures, must call a convention to consider submitting amendments.
Only two amendments have been repealed in the history of the United States.
This is one of the most-referenced amendments after the Bill of Rights. In it, the rights of citizens and equal protection under the law are detailed. The text has shaped the outcome of many landmark Supreme Court cases.
The amendment that prohibited the sale, manufacture, and transport of alcohol.
Regardless of whether Congress or a convention proposes amendments, they must be ratified by the legislatures of two-thirds of the states or by conventions in two-thirds of the states.
The 16th amendment modified the Constitution to allow the federal government to initiate what function?
What voting rights extension was made possible by the 26th amendment in 1971?
According to the 17th Amendment, the ability to vote for one's two U.S. Senators was granted to state citizens. Who previously has this power?
The shortest time and the longest time to ratify belong to which amendment pairings?
How many amendments are there to the U.S. Constitution?
Which of the following amendments is included in the Bill of Rights?
Congress can, by a _____-_______ vote of both the House and Senate, suggest amendments to the Constitution, or, in response to an initiative from two-thirds of the state legislatures, must call a convention to consider submitting amendments.
Only two amendments have been repealed in the history of the United States.
This is one of the most-referenced amendments after the Bill of Rights. In it, the rights of citizens and equal protection under the law are detailed. The text has shaped the outcome of many landmark Supreme Court cases.
The amendment that prohibited the sale, manufacture, and transport of alcohol.
Regardless of whether Congress or a convention proposes amendments, they must be ratified by the legislatures of two-thirds of the states or by conventions in two-thirds of the states.
The 16th amendment modified the Constitution to allow the federal government to initiate what function?
What voting rights extension was made possible by the 26th amendment in 1971?
According to the 17th Amendment, the ability to vote for one's two U.S. Senators was granted to state citizens. Who previously has this power?
The shortest time and the longest time to ratify belong to which amendment pairings?
How many amendments are there to the U.S. Constitution?
Which of the following amendments is included in the Bill of Rights?
Achieve better grades quicker with Premium
Geld-zurück-Garantie, wenn du durch die Prüfung fällst
Review generated flashcards
Start learning or create your own AI flashcards
Team Amendments After the Bill of Rights Teachers
The Bill of Rights is the term assigned to the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution. These amendments changed the structure of the Constitution to address the rights of citizens.
Figure 1, Preamble of the U.S. Constitution, National Archives, Wikimedia Commons
Basically, the Bill of Rights is a guarantee of the rights and civil liberties of individual citizens. In detailing this list of the protections conferred to American citizens, the Founders deliberately prevented the violation of power by the federal and state governments.
Article V of the Constitution details two methods by which amendments can be proposed and two processes by which they can be endorsed or denied.
Constitution, or, in response to an initiative from two-thirds of the state legislatures, must
call a convention to consider submitting amendments.
Regardless of whether Congress or a convention proposes amendments, they must be ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the states or by conventions in three-fourths of the states.
All 27 amendments to the Constitution were initiated by Congress and only the 21st Amendment followed the state convention approach to evaluating amendments proposed by Congress.
Since 1791, only 17 amendments have passed the hurdles of the amendment process.
| Amendment | Year of Ratification | Description |
| 1 - 10 (Bill of Rights) | 1791 | guarantees individual and states' rights. |
| 11 | 1795 | state sovereign immunity protected. |
| 12 | 1804 | modified presidential election procedures. |
| 13- 15 (Reconstruction) | 1865, 1868, 1870 | banned slavery, detailed rights of citizens, and voting rights. |
| 16 | 1913 | provided for a federal income tax. |
| 17 | 1913 | direct election of U.S. Senators was established. |
| 18 | 1919 | Prohibition of alcohol. |
| 19 | 1920 | right to vote for women. |
| 20 | 1933 | changed terms of Congress and President |
| 21 | 1933 | repealed the 18th Amendment (Prohibition of alcohol) |
| 22 | 1951 | presidential term (2) limits established |
| 23 | 1961 | extended electoral College representation from Washington, D.C. |
| 24 | 1964 | banned poll taxes. |
| 25 | 1967 | presidential succession was clarified. |
| 26 | 1971 | voting age was lowered to 21 |
| 27 | 1992 | Congressional pay raises during the current term are prohibited. |
Figure 2, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1933, Wikimedia Commons
22nd Amendment
The Constitution was amended to read, "No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.." to limit the term of the President. After Franklin D. Roosevelt was successfully elected 4 times (1932, 1936, 1940, 1944), many sought a firm limitation on future presidential service. Although popularly re-elected during the Great Depression and World war Two, reformers wanted to formally restrict presidential popularity.
The amendment limits the president to a maximum of ten years as the individual can serve for less than two years of an un-elected term and then twice on their own. The concept of a "lame duck" president has expanded since the amendment as the second term signals an immediate race for the next chief of the executive branch.
The U.S. Constitution was deliberately planned and slowly modified throughout America's history. The Constitutional Convention began in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in May of 1787. The Constitution was ratified in June 1788 and the established government began in March 1789. Deliberations on a Bill of Rights continued as part of the original debate over the size and scope of the federal government.
1791 (1-10) Bill of Rights
1795 (11th)
1804 (12th)
1865 (13th)
1868 (14th)
1870 (15th)
1913 (16th, 17th)
1919 (18th)
1920 (19th)
1933 (20th, 21st)
1951 (22nd)
1961 (23rd)
1964 (24th)
1967 (25th)
1971 (26th)
1992 (27th)
The last two amendments were record-setters:
The 26th amendment took the shortest time to ratify in only 100 days.
On the other side was the last amendment - the 27th - which took 202 years to ratify!
Since the first ten amendments were added to the Consitution, the challenging process to amend this crucial document has been undertaken frequently but completed sparingly. The impact of the amendments has had far-reaching effects on the United States.
Each Amendment to the Constitution garnered enough widespread support nationally and at the state level to reach the bar for adoption. The impact of some was minor in terms of government structure and operations whereas others have had dramatic impacts on American life and the rights of its citizens.
The Eleventh Amendment restricts the federal courts from hearing certain lawsuits against states. This has been interpreted to mean that state courts do not have to review particular lawsuits against the state when federal law is involved in the case.
The Electoral College process was detailed ensuring electors' votes (2) were cast for a presidential AND vice-presidential candidate which had not been specified previously.
After the Civil War, the demise of slavery impacted the Constitution.
Immediately following the Civil War, the amendment banned slavery. The amendment was passed by Congress during the war following the Emancipation Proclamation but not ratified by the states until months after the end of hostilities. This was the first of three Reconstruction-era Amendments.
One of the most-referenced amendments after the Bill of Rights, the rights of citizens and equal protection under the law is detailed. The text has shaped the outcome of many landmark Supreme Court cases including Brown v. Board, Roe v. Wade, and numerous others.
New amendments provided for federal revenue and modified terms of office.
One of the most impactful on federal and personal finances, this amendment allowed the federal government to collect income taxes.
This amendment reduced the time between federal elections and the start of terms from March to January.
Clarified the process and figure of presidential succession, presidential inability, and vice-presidential vacancy.
This amendment was resurrected from the ratification graveyard to prevent Congress from voting themselves a pay raise that would go into effect during the current term. Credit is given to a 19-year-old student who exposed the failed ratification of this amendment at the time of the Bill of Rights could still be completed centuries later.
The legality of alcoholic beverages had far-reaching impacts on social and economic life in America.
The 18th Amendment was passed in Congress and was ratified in 1919, instituting a period known as Prohibition. After one year, the manufacture, distribution, and sale of alcoholic beverages became illegal.
A period of increased crime and protest led to the ratification of the 21st Amendment; repealing the 18th in 1933. This was the only time an amendment was passed to nullify another amendment and the only time the state ratifying procedure was used to ratify an amendment.
The Constitution as originally written did not enumerate voting rights for citizens. The rights and protections of voters have included more citizens through the amendment process.
Amendments that expanded voting rights augmented the electorate.
The final Reconstruction Amendment proclaimed, "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 race, color, or previous condition of servitude." Federal discrimination on the basis of race or previous slave status was prohibited."
The ability to vote for one's two U.S. Senators was granted to state citizens,, rather than state legislatures.
This massive suffrage win expanded federal voting rights for women 21 and older. "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." The size of the electorate increased dramatically, although many states previously extended voting rights to women.
Electoral College representation was extended to the District of Columbia, allowing residents to vote in presidential elections.
This civil rights amendment prohibited Congress or the states from imposing a poll tax or fee to vote in federal elections.
The 26th Amendment lowered the voting age in elections to 18 from 21. “Old enough to fight, old enough to vote”, was a youth voting slogan used to help justify the amendment to the Constitution. The movement gained strength during the 1960s and included a major Supreme Court challenge in 1970 - Oregon v. Mitchell.
Figure 3, Nevada ratification of the 19th Amendment, Wikimedia Commons.
Sign up for free to gain access to all our flashcards.
What Amendments were added after the Bill of Rights?
After the Bill of Rights, an expansion of voting rights, terms limits for the President and the Prohibition of alcohol were some of the major amendments passed and ratified.
How many amendments are there after the Bill of Rights?
There have been 17 amendments passed and ratified since the Bill of Rights (amendments 1-10) were added in 1791.
Why were additional amendments added to the constitution after the bill of rights?
After the Bill of Rights state and federal leaders and activists sought to address issues of voting rights, and better organize the structure of Congressional and Presidential terms, succession and calendar design. Larger social issues such as alcohol use were addressed through the amendment process.
What amendments expanded voting rights?
The 15th, 17th,19th,23rd, 24th, and 26th amendments all expanded voting rights.
How is the Constitution amended?
Congress can, by a two-thirds vote of both the House and Senate, suggest amendments to the
Constitution, or, in response to an initiative from two-thirds of the state legislatures, must call a convention to consider submitting amendments. Regardless of whether Congress or a convention proposes amendments, they must be ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the states or by conventions in three-fourths of the states.
At StudySmarter, we have created a learning platform that serves millions of students. Meet the people who work hard to deliver fact based content as well as making sure it is verified.
Lily Hulatt is a Digital Content Specialist with over three years of experience in content strategy and curriculum design. She gained her PhD in English Literature from Durham University in 2022, taught in Durham University’s English Studies Department, and has contributed to a number of publications. Lily specialises in English Literature, English Language, History, and Philosophy.
Get to know Lily
Gabriel Freitas is an AI Engineer with a solid experience in software development, machine learning algorithms, and generative AI, including large language models’ (LLMs) applications. Graduated in Electrical Engineering at the University of São Paulo, he is currently pursuing an MSc in Computer Engineering at the University of Campinas, specializing in machine learning topics. Gabriel has a strong background in software engineering and has worked on projects involving computer vision, embedded AI, and LLM applications.
Get to know Gabriel
Explanations 
Flashcards 
StudySmarter AI 
Notes 
Study Plans 
Study Sets 
Exams 
Find a job 
Student Deals 
Magazine 
Mobile App