Our Enduring Constitution Chapter Seven Our Enduring Constitution

First, Lets go back to the Bill of Rights… Interpreting the Bill of Rights People often disagree about the meaning of Constitutional rights The Bill of Rights are broad and difficult to interpret So, who do we turn to in a disagreement regarding our rights? Judges in our national court system Usually it is resolved on a local level Sometimes it goes to the Supreme Court

Case Studies: Tinker v. Des Moines Mary Beth, John Tinker, and other students wore black armbands to school to protest American involvement in the Vietnam War. The students are suspended The parents argued they were denied free speech The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the students

Case Studies: Skokie v. Illinois A Nazi group with uniforms displaying the swastika, plans a march in Skokie The city blocks the march and protest Illinois Supreme Court says the swastika cannot be banned, because it is a symbol of free speech U.S. Supreme Court lets the decision stand

THE REST OF THE Amendments 17 more amendments following the Bill of Rights Reflect efforts to adapt the Constitution to meet changing needs and attitudes

Changed the way voting was done for President and Vice President 11th and 12th Amendment 11th Amendment A private citizen from one state cannot sue the government of another state in federal court 12th Amendment Changed the way voting was done for President and Vice President

13th Amendment Abolished Slavery

14th and 15th Amendment 14th Ensured citizenship for African-Americans Took the power to grant citizenship away from the states Called the Second Bill of Rights Declares that no state may “deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law” or “deny any person…..the equal protection of the laws” Declares that states may not deny the right to vote to any person on the basis of “race, color, or previous condition of servitude” African American men now allowed to vote

Some More Amendments 16th Amendment 17th Amendment 18th Amendment Congress has the power to collect taxes on people’s income 17th Amendment Senators now elected directly by the people of each state 18th Amendment Banned alcohol making, selling, and transporting

Women’s Suffrage 19th Amendment Women have the right to vote (suffrage)

More Amendments! 20th Amendment 21st Amendment Commencement of Terms for the President and Vice-President 21st Amendment Repealed the 18th Amendment

The 22nd and 23rd Amendments Two term limit for Presidents Follows Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was elected to four terms 23rd Gave residents of Washington, D.C., the right to vote in presidential elections

Another step forward for voters 24th Amendment Poll tax (a fee to vote) no longer allowed A poll tax had been used in past years to keep poor people from voting, many of which were African American

Just a few more….and we are done! 25th Amendment Presidential succession 26th Amendment The right to vote age lowered from 21 to 18 27th Amendment Congressional pay increases cannot go into effect until next term