1. 1st Amendment
The 1st Amendment guarantees freedom of religion, speech, the press, assembly, and petition.
This means that we all have the right to:
practice any religion we want to
to speak freely
to assemble (meet)
to address the government (petition)
to publish newspapers, TV, radio, Internet (press)

2. 2nd Amendment
The 2nd Amendment protects the right to bear arms, which means the right to own a gun.

3. 3rd Amendment
The 3rd Amendment says “No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.”
This means that we cannot be forced to house or quarter soldiers.

4. 4th Amendment
The 4th Amendment protects the people from unreasonable searches and seizures.
This means that the police must have a warrant to enter our homes. It also means the government cannot take our property, papers, or us, without a valid warrant based on probable cause (good reason).

5. 5th Amendment
The 5th Amendment protects people from being held for committing a crime unless they are properly indicted, (accused)
You may not be tried twice for the same crime (double jeopardy)
You don’t have to testify against yourself in court. (Self-incrimination)

6. 6th Amendment
The 6th Amendment guarantees a speedy trial (you can’t be kept in jail for over a year without a trial)
an impartial jury (doesn’t already think you are guilty)
that the accused can confront witnesses against them
the accused must be allowed to have a lawyer

7. 7th Amendment
The 7th Amendment guarantees the right to a speedy civil trial.
A civil trial differs from a criminal trial. A civil trial is when someone sues someone else. A criminal trial is when the state tries to convict someone of a crime.

8. 8th Amendment
The 8th Amendment guarantees that punishments will be fair and not cruel, and that extraordinarily large fines will not be set.

9. 9th Amendment
All rights not stated in the Constitution and not forbidden by the Constitution belong to the people.
This means that the states can do what they want if the Constitution does not forbid it.

10. 10th Amendment
The 10th Amendment states that any power not granted to the federal government belongs to the states or to the people.

11. Extending the Bill of Rights Amendments 11 - 27

12. Amendment 11
States cannot be sued in federal court by one of its citizens, a citizen of another state, or by a foreign country

13. Amendment 12 Election of the President and Vice-President
Use of electoral college to use separate ballots in voting for president and vice-president

14. Amendment 13 Known as Civil War Amendment
Outlaws the practice of slavery in the United States

15. Amendment 14 Also known as Civil War Amendment
Originally meant to protect the rights of freed slaves
Now protects all citizens’ life, liberty or property without due process
All have equal protection under the law

16. Amendment 15 Also known as Civil War Amendment
No person shall be denied the right to vote because of race
Poll taxes, literacy tests, etc. worked against
Women not included

17. Amendment 16
Congress can collect income tax

18. Amendment 17
Ron Johnson
Tammy Baldwin
2 Senators from each state are directly elected by the people
Gave people a greater voice

19. Amendment 18
Illegal to sell, manufacture, or transport alcoholic beverages
“Prohibition”

20. Amendment 19 Women’s Suffrage
The right to vote cannot be denied because of gender

21. Amendment 20 “Lame-Duck” Amendment
President takes office January 20th the date used to be March 4th.
Congress begins new term January 3rd
Outgoing officials have little influence and do not accomplish much
If president-elect dies before taking office, vice-president elect becomes president

22. Amendment 21 Repeals the 18th Amendment ending Prohibition
Only amendment to do this

23. Amendment 22 President cannot serve more than 2 full terms
Passed as a response to FDR’s 4 terms in office (1933 – 1945)

24. Amendment 23
Allows the citizens of the Washington D.C. to vote for president and vice president
3 presidential electors

25. Amendment 24 Prohibits the use of poll taxes in federal elections
Poll taxes used to keep low-income minorities from voting

26. Amendment 25
If the president dies or cannot lead, vice-president takes office
If the vice-president dies or resigns, the president cannot appoint a replacement
Subject to Congressional consent

27. Amendment 26
No one over the age of eighteen can be denied the right to vote by virtue of age

28. Amendment 27
Any pay raise Congress gives it’s members does not take effect until a new election has taken place.
Proposed in 1789, passed in 1992

29. Amending the Constitution
The only constant, is change…

30. The US Constitution Is the oldest written constitution still in effect
**Why do you think the Constitution has been able to survive for 220 years?

31. *Why do you think the Constitution has been able to survive for 220 years?
One of the reasons is because the Constitution was written in broad language
In many cases, allows for new interpretations to fit new circumstances
Another reason that it has survived is because of its ability to be amended, or changed/added to…
This process is not impossible (like it was under the Articles of Confedration, our first government in the US), but it is difficult enough to only allow for amendments that have a great deal of (but not necessarily overwhelming) support.

32. **Why is the amendment process so important?
Our nation has changed a great deal in the past 220 years…and the amendment process has allowed parts of the Constitution to change with it.

33. How can it be amended/changed?
There is a 2-step process for amending the Constitution
First step is PROPOSAL
2 ways to propose amendments
Second step is RATIFICATION
2 ways to ratify amendments

34. Step 1: Propose the amendment
Ideas for amendments can come from anywhere, but can only be proposed in 1 of 2 ways.
The most common way that amendments are proposed is…

35. …2/3rds vote of both houses of Congress (House and Senate) to formally propose the amendment

36. Sample Constitutional Amendment in Congress

37. Another way to propose amendments
Amendments can also be proposed at a national convention
These would be called by the legislatures of the states,
Held in one national location
Each amendment would have to be agreed to by 3/4ths of the states (38)
**This method has never been used to propose amendments

38. Step 2: Ratifying the Amendment
Once an amendment has been officially proposed by Congress or a national convention, it must be sent to the 50 states for their approval.
There are 2 ways that states can ratify, or agree to, amendments…

39. Step 2: Ratifying Amendments
The most common way that states can ratify amendments is by a vote in their state legislatures.
3/4ths (38) of the state legislatures must agree in order for the amendment to be officially ratified

40. Step 2: Ratifying Amendments
Another, less common method of ratification, is the use of state ratifying conventions.
These are meetings with new delegates held in each state that vote on the amendment
3/4ths of these ratifying conventions would have to agree on the amendment
Only used 1 time; to repeal the 21st amendment (Prohibition ended)

41. Who determines which ratification methods are used?
Congress, in the text of the amendment, will determine which ratification method is used.
If a national convention were used to propose amendments, they would choose the method of ratification.

42. How many total amendments?
The first 10 amendments were ratified in 1791
What were these called?
Since then, 17 amendments have been ratified for a total of 27

43. Evaluating Proposed Amendments
When considering whether you would support a proposed Constitutional amendment, there are 3 questions you should ask about the amendment…
Is there a “pressing need” in American society for the amendment?
Is the amendment consistent with American values and the values of the Constitution? (as you define them)?
What are the possible consequences (pro and con) if the amendment passes?

44. Assignment:
Each of you will be given one amendment to research. Your research will include:
What year was it proposed?
Who proposed it?
When did the amendment pass?
Write a summary of the amendment and what it means. Be sure to include quality details.
Research a court case that have been impacted by this amendment.
Write the name of the court case
The year that it happened,
Who was involved
The outcome
Include details to describe each case.
How does this amendment affect you?
Find a current event article that is influenced by your amendment.
Summary of the article including the 5 Ws.
Describe how your amendment impacted the event in the article.