1. III. Amending the Constitution

2. A. Amendment Process Amendment – Written change to the Constitution
Allows the Constitution to adapt to changing times
Describe in Article 5

3. B. Long and Tedious Process
27 Amendment have been passed in 220 years
Last Amendment was passed in 1992
10,000+ Amendments have been debated since 1791
Around 50 per year

4. C. Case Study – 27th Amendment
Forbids Congress from raising their own pay during that term
Original words of the amendment were written by James Madison in 1789
Apart of the originally proposed Bill of Rights
Passed in 1992, 202 years after it was introduced

5. D. Formal Amendment Process
1) Congress can propose an amendment with a 2/3rd vote in both Houses of Congress
¾ (38 of 50) States must ratify an amendment
26 amendments were adopted this way

6. 18th Amendment

7. 2) Amendment can be approved by Congress and then ratified by state conventions
Only 21st Amendment has been ratified in this way

8. 21st Amendment

9. 3) 2/3 of the states (34 of 50) can demand Congress to call a constitutional convention
Method has never been used
Question: What happened the last time this country meet at a constitutional convention?

10. E. Informal Changes
Our interpretation of the Constitution changes from time to time
Many rights enjoyed by Americans are not mentioned in the Constitution
E.g. The right to vote, minimum wage

11. The Supreme Court’s use of judicial review is able to change the meaning of parts of the Constitution
Court’s rulings help reflect the changing conditions of the time
Judicial Activism – Court plays an active role in shaping national policies

13. F. Customs and Tradition
“Unwritten Constitution”
Many changes in government are the result of tradition
George Washington – Set the precedents of only serving two terms of office, having a cabinet, and writing treaties
Precedent – Example that others follow