Amending the Constitution – An Introduction

A British Viewpoint - The Seven Years’ War formally ended with the Treaty of Paris (1763) - Pontiac’s uprising showed the British it would not be easy to govern their huge American holdings - Some action had to be taken

For Every Action… Proclamation of 1763 Colonists resent this Stamp Act Boycott British goods Declaratory Act End Boycott Townshend Acts Boycott/Massacre Tea Act Tea Party Intolerable Acts First Continental Congress British send troops Second Continental Congress/Army

Colonists originally did not want independence – they just wanted their rights. The American Revolution changed everything. A new government was put in place and a Constitution was drafted that still remains the supreme law of our land. A Constitution is drafted

ARTICLE V The Constitution still remains the framework for U.S. government This is probably because ways of making changes, or amending the Constitution, were set forth in the original document In over 200 years, the Constitution has only been amended 27 times

Methods of proposing an amendment Congress may propose amendments by two-thirds vote in each house The legislatures of two-thirds of the states (34 in all) may require Congress to call a constitutional convention to consider amendments

Ratifying (approving) Amendments An amendment becomes official when ¾ (or 38) of the state legislatures approve Or When special conventions in ¾ (38) of the states approve

THE BILL OF RIGHTS The first 10 amendments to the Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights James Madison proposed twelve amendments-ten were approved