Post on 13-Jan-2016
Amendments 11 - 27
The Constitution is a fluid document!
11th Amendmentproposed March, 1794; ratified February, 1795
• Using provisions in Article III, sect. 2 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court had upheld a suit involving residents of South Carolina and the State of Georgia.
• This annoyed the States, so they eliminated provisions in the Constitution.
• No State can be sued in a federal court by a resident of another State or by a foreign country.
12th Amendment -proposed Dec., 1803; ratified June, 1804
• Cleans up the voting “mess” that was the 1800 election (Jefferson and Burr tied in electoral college voting).
• Restricts House, in the event the election is “tossed” to them, to vote for top three vote-getters
• Electors must vote for at least one (Pres./V-Pres.) from a different State (why Dick Cheney, a Texan, registered to vote in Wyoming!)
• Requires that Vice-Presidential candidates meet same requirements as Presidential candidates.
13th Amendment -proposed Jan., 1865; ratified Dec., 1865
• First of 3 “Civil War” amendments
• Forbids slavery
• Forbids “involuntary servitude” (no - not “going to school!”)
• Congress (not Executive branch) given authority to enforce this law.
14th Amendmentproposed June, 1866; ratified July 1868
• major post Civil War Amendment
• has MANY repercussions
• Southern States required to accept this in order to rejoin the USA
14th Amendment - cont.• Section 1 - What is a Citizen and more!• citizenship is acquired at birth • States can’t arbitrarily deny U.S. citizens of
basic rights without due process - this, basically, extends the Constitution’s federal coverage to the States (incorporation)
• all citizens entitled to “Equal Protection” - has enormous legal ramifications
14th Amendment - more!
• Section 2 - basically eliminates the “Three-fifths” language from the Constitution
• Section 3 - If you HAD been in the USA government before the Civil War, then became part of the CSA government, you can’t rejoin the USA government!
• Section 4 - USA takes care of USA debt, but NOT CSA debt
• Section 5 - Congress, not Executive branch to enforce this law
15th Amendmentproposed Feb., 1869; ratified Feb., 1870
• last of the three Civil War - era amendments
• ex-slaves cannot be denied the right to vote.
• Actual implication is much more far-reaching today
16th Amendmentproposed July, 1909; ratified Feb., 1913
• remember how we said we weren’t going to have an individual (capitation) tax....?
• We were kidding!• this amendment gives
Congress the power to levy a tax on a person’s income
17th Amendment proposed May, 1912; ratified April 1913
• Senators now to be directly elected from the people (not legislatures)
• provisions for filling vacancies (due to death or removal from office.
18th Amendmentproposed Dec., 1917; ratified Jan., 1919
• Alcohol manufacture, sale, and transportation PROHIBITED
• this amendment HAD to be ratified in 7 years (first instance of a “time limit” for ratification)
19th Amendmentproposed June, 1919; ratified Aug., 1920
• Votes for Women!• applies to ALL States
as well as federal elections
• misuse of the word “sex” (should be “gender”)
20th Amendmentproposed March, 1932; ratified Jan., 1933
• The Lame Duck Amendment• moved dates up for starting
terms - Congress to Jan. 3; President to Jan. 20
• provides for circumstances in case President-elect dies before inauguration
• had to be ratified in 7 years
21st Amendmentproposed Feb., 1933; ratified Dec., 1933
• remember how we banned booze?
• WE WERE KIDDING!• repeals the 18th amendment• gives States authority to
regulate liquor industry• 7 year time limit for
ratification• only amendment to pass by
State conventions - not legislatures
22nd Amendmentproposed March, 1947; ratified Feb., 1951
• Limits President to two terms (up to 10 years)• all Presidents had limited themselves to two terms
(George Washington had set the example) until Franklin D. Roosevelt
• 7 year limit on ratification
23rd Amendmentproposed June, 1960; ratified March, 1961
• Citizens of Washington D.C. get to vote in Presidential elections!
• Limited to number of electors equivalent to smallest State (3)
24th Amendmentproposed Sept., 1962; ratified Jan., 1964
• prohibited any payment of a tax in order to cast a ballot for federal officers (a so-called “Poll Tax”)
• this had been used in the South since the 15th amendment to disenfranchise black voters
25th Amendmentproposed July, 1965; ratified Feb., 1967
• sect. 1 - Vice-President to become President if a vacancy (had been done before, but never actually stated
• sect. 2 - President could fill a vacancy in Vice-President’s office (with approval of both houses of Congress) - used twice in the 1970’s
• sect. 3 - If President says he’s temporarily incapacitated, he can remove himself from office
• sect. 4 - provides for circumstances to remove incapacitated President from office if he couldn’t (or wouldn’t) remove himself.
26th Amendmentproposed March, 1971; ratified July, 1971
• minimum voting age cannot be lower than 18 years old
• passed during the Vietnam War
27th Amendmentproposed Sept., 1789; ratified May, 1992
• proposed as one of the Bill of Rights
• not approved by 3/4 margin until 203 years later!
• pay raises for Congress don’t go into effect until after a two-year election