Changing Our Constitution: The Amendments

The Amendment Process Amendment: a change to the Constitution Two ways to propose an amendment Congress may propose an amendment if it has been approved by 2/3 vote in Senate and House A national convention can be called for by 2/3 of state legislatures Has not been used

Two ways to pass an amendment Ratified by state legislatures of ¾ of states Ratified by conventions held in ¾ of states

The Bill of Rights (1791) Protections of Individual Freedoms First Amendment: Freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, petition

Bill of Rights –cont- Protections against abuses of power Second Amendment: Right to bear arms Third Amendment: Government can’t require people to house soldiers during peacetime Fourth Amendment: Protects people from unnecessary search and seizure Fifth Amendment: Requires government pay owners a fair price for property `

Bill of Rights –cont- Protections of the accused Fifth Amendment: Protects accused of self-incrimination and from being tried twice for the same crime Sixth Amendment: Right to a speedy, public and fair trial by jury for most criminal cases Seventh Amendment: Right to a trial by jury in most civil cases Eighth Amendment: Prohibits excessive bail, fines and cruel and unusual punishment

Bill of Rights –cont- Protection of other rights Ninth Amendment: Declares that rights not mentioned in the Constitution belong to the people Tenth Amendment: Declares that powers not given to the national government belong to the states or to the people

Amendments that Made Fundamental Changes Thirteenth Amendment (1865): Abolished slavery Fourteenth Amendment (1868): “Naturalizes” (grants citizenship to) anyone born in the US Prevents state and local governments from denying people of life, liberty and property w/out taking certain steps (due process) State must provide equal protection under the law to all people

Amendments that Expanded Suffrage Fifteenth Amendment (1870): Gives right to vote to African Americans Seventeenth Amendment (1913): Direct election of Senators Nineteenth Amendment (1920): Gives right to vote to women Twenty-third Amendment (1961): Establishes electoral votes for Washington, D.C. Twenty-fourth Amendment (1964): Abolishes poll taxes Twenty-sixth Amendment (1971): Lowers voting age to 18

Amendments that Refined Matters Affecting Congress Twelfth Amendment (1804): Provides for separate voting of President and Vice President Twentieth Amendment (1933): Shortened time between the election and when the president, VP and members of Congress take office Twenty-second Amendment (1951): Limits President to two terms in office Twenty-fifth Amendment (1967): Provides for what should happen on the death, disability, removal or resignation of a president

Amendments that Reflect Morality Eighteenth Amendment (1919): Prohibition of alcohol Twenty-first Amendment (1933): Repeal of Eighteenth Amendment

Other Amendments Eleventh Amendment (1795) - Gives the Supreme Court authority to hear a suit against a state brought by a citizen of another state Sixteenth Amendment (1913) – Established a graduated income tax Twenty-Seventh Amendment (1992) – Requires that any law to increase congressional pay may not take effect until after an election

The Death Penalty States with the death penalty Information about the death penalty A case of mistaken identity

Listed below are 8 possible actions a Washington, D. C Listed below are 8 possible actions a Washington, D.C., resident might take. Before each statement, write L (legal) if you think the court ruling makes the action legal, IL if you think it illegal or write DN if you don't know. Buying a registered pistol Receiving an unregistered pistol from a friend Bringing a concealed pistol into a hospital Bringing a pistol into a hospital Keeping a loaded pistol openly on a table next to your bed Hiding a loaded pistol in a drawer in a cabinet next to your bed Keeping a disassembled pistol on the mantel of your living room Buying a machine gun

Questions for Discussion How do you interpret the Second Amendment? Address specifically The connection between "a well-regulated militia" and "the right of the people to keep and bear arms“ and The meanings you give to "people" and "arms" and why Does your interpretation of the Second Amendment allow for any restrictions on gun ownership? If so, what and why? If not, why not? What is your opinion of the Heller ruling? What are your reasons?