Constitutional Amendment History
A constitutional amendment is a change or addition to the U.S. Constitution, which is the set of rules for how our government works. The Constitution was written in 1787, more than 200 years ago. The people who wrote it wanted this document to be strong but flexible, so they created a way to add new rules when needed. These updates are called amendments. Some amendments protect our rights, like the right to free speech or the right to vote. Others fix problems or improve how the government works. For an amendment to become part of the Constitution, most of the states have to agree that it’s a good idea.
First Amendment
The First Amendment gives everyone five important freedoms: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom to gather peacefully, and freedom to ask the government for change. That means you can say your opinions, believe in any religion (or none at all), and share your ideas without being punished. This amendment was added because the people who started the country wanted to make sure that no one could be silenced like they were under British rule.
Second Amendment
The Second Amendment says that people can keep and carry weapons. When it was written, Americans had just finished fighting in the Revolutionary War, and they wanted to make sure that they would be allowed to protect themselves and their communities if needed. Today, people still talk about how this right should work in modern times.
Third Amendment
The Third Amendment says that you don’t have to let soldiers live at your house. Back when America was a colony, British soldiers would stay in people’s homes without their permission. The writers of the Constitution wanted to make sure that that never happened again.
Fourth Amendment
The Fourth Amendment protects your privacy. Police or the government can’t search your house or take your things unless they have a very good reason and permission from a judge.
Fifth Amendment
The Fifth Amendment gives people rights in court. You can’t be put on trial twice for the same crime, and you don’t have to say things in court that could prove you guilty. This amendment also says that the government can’t take your land unless they really need it, and if they do, they have to pay you for it.
Sixth Amendment
If someone is accused of a crime, the Sixth Amendment promises a quick and public trial. The person must be told what they’re being accused of, and they get a lawyer to help them. This amendment was made to protect people from being thrown in jail without a fair chance to defend themselves.
Seventh Amendment
The Seventh Amendment lets people ask for a jury trial in civil court cases. These are cases about money or disagreements between people. The jury helps decide what’s fair, not just a judge alone.
Eighth Amendment
The Eighth Amendment protects people from being punished too harshly. It says that no cruel punishments are allowed, and the government can’t charge someone too much for bail or fines.
Ninth Amendment
The Ninth Amendment makes it clear that just because a right isn’t listed in the Constitution doesn’t mean that people don’t have that right. The government can’t say, “It’s not written down, so it doesn’t count.”
Tenth Amendment
The Tenth Amendment says that any power that the Constitution doesn’t give to the federal government belongs to the states or the people. This helps keep a balance so the national government doesn’t get too powerful.
11th Amendment
Passed in 1795, the 11th Amendment limits when someone can sue a state. If you’re from a different state or country, you can’t take a state to federal court unless the state says it’s OK. This was added to protect states from too many lawsuits.
12th Amendment
The 12th Amendment changed how we vote for president and vice president. Before, the person with the most votes became president and the runner-up became vice president. That caused problems, so now, each candidate for president picks their own vice presidential candidate and they run together.
13th Amendment
Passed after the Civil War in 1865, the 13th Amendment ended slavery in the United States. It made it illegal to own other people or force them to work without pay.
14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment, also passed after the Civil War, says that everyone born in the United States is a citizen and must be treated equally by the law. This helped protect formerly enslaved people.
15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment says that no one can be stopped from voting because of their race or skin color. This was passed in 1870 to help African American men vote after slavery ended.
16th Amendment
The 16th Amendment lets the federal government collect income taxes. People pay taxes from the money they earn, and these taxes help pay for things like roads, schools, and the military. This amendment was passed in 1913.
17th Amendment
Before the 17th Amendment, state governments picked U.S. senators. After this amendment passed in 1913, people got to vote for their senators directly.
18th Amendment
In 1919, the 18th Amendment banned alcohol in the United States. People couldn’t make, sell, or drink alcohol legally anymore. This amendment was created to stop the problems that alcohol can create, but the ban didn’t work well, and it caused other problems.
19th Amendment
The 19th Amendment, passed in 1920, gave women the right to vote. Women had fought for years to be included in elections, and this amendment made sure that their voices could be heard.
20th Amendment
The 20th Amendment changed the start dates for the president and Congress. It used to take a long time for someone who was elected to get from where they lived to Washington, D.C., so they would be elected in the fall but wouldn’t take office until March. Now, the president and Congress start their terms in January.
21st Amendment
In 1933, the 21st Amendment repealed, or canceled, the 18th Amendment. People had found ways around the alcohol ban, and this led to a lot more crime.
22nd Amendment
After Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president four times, the 22nd Amendment was passed to limit presidents to two terms (or eight years total). This helps to make sure that one person doesn’t stay in power too long.
23rd Amendment
Before 1961, people living in Washington, D.C., couldn’t vote for president. The 23rd Amendment gave them that right.
24th Amendment
The 24th Amendment says that people don’t have to pay money, called a poll tax, to vote. This amendment was passed in 1964 to stop unfair rules that made it hard for some people, especially African Americans, to vote.
25th Amendment
The 25th Amendment, added in 1967, explains what happens if the president dies, gets sick, or can’t do the job anymore. It says that the vice president takes over if the president is removed from office or quits, and it explains how a new vice president is chosen if needed. This amendment also provides a way to remove the president if they are unable to do the job.
26th Amendment
Passed in 1971 during the Vietnam War, the 26th Amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. People said that if you’re old enough to fight in a war, you should be able to vote, too.
27th Amendment
The 27th Amendment says that if Congress votes to give itself a raise, the raise won’t take effect until after the next election. That way, voters can decide whether they agree before the raise happens: If they don’t agree, they can vote out their members of Congress, so the representatives who voted for the pay raise won’t be able to benefit from it. This amendment was actually first suggested in 1789 but didn’t officially pass until 1992.
