1. The Constitution
Chapter 3

2. Section 2
Formal Amendment

3. Important Vocabulary amendment ratification formal amendment
A change in, or addition to, a constitution or law.
ratification
Formal approval, final consent to the effectiveness of a constitution, constitutional amendment, or treaty
formal amendment
Change or addition that becomes part of the written language of the Constitution itself through one of four methods set forth in the Constitution.

4. The Formal Amendment Process
Two methods of proposing amendments
Proposed by 2/3 majority vote in both houses of Congress
Proposed at a national convention called by Congress when requested by 2/3 of State legislatures.
Two methods of ratifying amendments
Ratified by ¾ of the State legislatures
Ratifies by conventions in ¾ of the States

6. Federalism and Popular Sovereignty
The amendment processes reflect the concept of federalism that is embodied by the U.S. system of government.
Both the national and state levels must participate
The amendment process also reflects the concept of popular sovereignty.
The governing bodies closest to the people – or – the people directly are involved in the amendment process.

7. Proposed Amendments
33 Amendments have made it through Congressional approval.
Only 27 have become part of the Constitution.
e.g. The Equal Rights Amendment (1972) would have written into the Constitution equal treatment under the law regardless of sex.

9. The 27 Constitutional Amendments
The Bill of Rights
First 10 Amendments to the Constitution
Proposed in 1789 and ratified by late 1791
Set out the great constitutional guarantees of freedom of belief and expression, freedom of security of the person, and of fair and equal treatment before the law.
The Later Amendments
Added over the subsequent 200+ years of American history.
Many grew out of historical circumstances and the changing nature of American society.
e.g. The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments resulted out of the Civil War.