+ The Amendment Process Ch 3 Sec 3

+ Amendment Definition: A written change made to the Constitution

+ The Amendment Process Outlined in Article V of the U.S. Constitution The Process is purposely grueling Why?

+ Amendment Proposal Can be proposed in 2 ways Congress- w/ a two-thirds vote in both houses States- Legislatures of two- thirds of the states (34 of 50) can ask Congress to call a national convention to propose an amendment (Never been used successfully) After an Amendment is proposed it must be ratified by three-fourths of the states (38 of 50)

+ Amendment Ratification Can be ratified in 2 ways Sending the proposed amendment to the state legislatures for approval (all but 1 have been approved by this method) Sending the proposed amendment to state conventions for consideration 27 th Amendment Ratification by year

+ Amendment Process If the Amendment is ratified by the required number of people then it gets written into the Constitution If the people do not like the effects of the Amendment it can be repealed, or canceled, by another Amendment

+ What happens if an amendment fails to gain ¾ of states’ approval? Answer: It does NOT become a part of our constitution. Most amendments today have expiration dates and eventually disappear into memory.

+ Failed Amendments Anti-Title Amendment (1810): Receiving title of nobility from foreign country takes away citizenship Slavery Amendment (1861): Prohibits Congress from passing law that could outlaw slavery Child Labor Amendment (1926): Congress power to regulate child labor Equal Rights Amendment (1972): No law denied by US or state on account of sex Washington DC Voting Rights Amendment (1978): DC equal to a state in Congress