1. 3-2: Amending the Constitution How is our Gov’t., under the Constitution, like a 200 year old house? How is our Gov’t., under the Constitution, like a 200 year old house? Amendments: Changes made to the Constitution (27) Amendments: Changes made to the Constitution (27) To meet new needs and challenges To meet new needs and challenges

2. 2 Methods of Amending Procedures found in Article V: Should be more difficult than passing an ordinary law (What would this ensure?) Procedures found in Article V: Should be more difficult than passing an ordinary law (What would this ensure?) 1) A vote in Congress: 2/3 of both houses must approve (House: 290 Senate: 67) - All amendments proposed this way 2) A National Convention called by Congress at the request of 2/3 of state legislatures (34)- Never been used (fear)

3. 2 Ways to Ratify Amendments 1) Votes in state legislatures: ¾ of state legislatures must approve (38 states) - Used for all amendments except 1 - Usually time deadline (7 years) 2) Approval of special conventions in ¾ of states (21 st Amendment: Repealed- Reversed by legislative act)

4. Amendment Process Due to difficult standards- Constitution has been amended only 27 times. Due to difficult standards- Constitution has been amended only 27 times. There have been around 10,000 attempts to propose amendments There have been around 10,000 attempts to propose amendments Chance of success for an idea to become an amendment is < 1% Chance of success for an idea to become an amendment is < 1% Click to see some proposed amendments Click to see some proposed amendments

5. Bill of Rights Bill of Rights: First 10 amendments- designed to protect individual freedoms Homework: Copy the Bill of Rights into your notebook (They can be found on p. 53) Also, write a paragraph or two about the following: If you were assigned to propose our 28 th Amendment, what would it be? And why is this needed?