1. Changing the Law of the Land
Sec. 1 Pp

2. Bill of Rights 17 amendments have been added.
Who has the right to vote has been the subject of many recent amendments

3. Abolishing Slavery
Southerners would not have supported the Constitution if it abolished slavery
They also agreed to count part of the slave population for Congressional representation and runaway slaves would be returned to owner

4. Tension Between North and South
The Missouri Compromise divided new lands into free and slave territories
Settlers would vote on allowing slavery
This caused conflict

5. A Controversial Court Decision
Dred Scott traveled with his owner to a free state (IL) and then returned to a slave state (MO)
He argued that he was now free
Supreme Court said slaves were property and could be taken anywhere

6. The Thirteenth Amendment
The Civil War ended the issue of slavery
The 13th Amendment abolished slavery in 1865

7. African Americans and the Right to Vote
Civil War ended slavery, but the states still decided who was a citizen
14th Amendment guaranteed citizenship for African Americans and is called the “second Bill of Rights”

8. 15th and 24th Amendment
15th Amendment guaranteed voting rights to African Americans
The 24th Amendment made poll taxes illegal

9. Women and the Right to Vote - the 19th Amendment
Women were denied the right to vote because:
People believed they should be at home raising families
They were not as intelligent as men
They should not be involved in politics

10. Youth and the Right to Vote – the 26th Amendment
People thought that if you are old enough to die in a war, you are old enough to vote
In 1970, the voting age was lowered to 18

11. The Role of the Supreme Court
They have the final say over whether government officials and citizens are following the principles of the Constitution
A court decision can be overturned by an amendment or a later court decision