AMENDMENT PR

OCESS

AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION

The Framers of the Constitution knew that that our country would change over time. They knew that there had to be a way to amend or change the Constitution as time went on. They purposely made the process difficult so that any changes made would be “good” changes.

Amending the constitution is a two step process:

1. A change must be proposed and voted on by 2/3 of both houses of Congress

2. The amendment must then be ratified by 3/4 of the states within a certain time frame.

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THE FIRST TEN AMENDMENTS ARE CALLED THE BILL OF RIGHTS

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BILL OF RIGHTS

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The Bill of Rights was passed to meet the demands of the Anti-Federalists

FREEDOMS GRANTED IN THE CONSTITUTION WERE NOT ALWAYS PROTECTED!We know that the rights of women and minorities were not

always protected in our Constitution. Thankfully the Framers left a way to amend the constitution to right these wrongs. Sadly, our country has sometimes been slow to recognize these rights.

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AMENDMENTS 13 ,14 , 15, 19, 24

The above amendments extend the rights of American citizenship to minorities and women giving them power to participate fully in the political process.

13 Amendment - ABOLISH SLAVERY - 1865

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14TH AMENDMENT 1868

14TH AMENDMENT - GRANTED CITIZENSHIP TO “ALL PERSONS “ BORN OR NATURALIZED IN THE United States including former slaves.

In addition it forbids states from denying any person “ life , liberty, or property, without due process of law”. It also prevents any state from denying any person equal protection of the laws.

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15TH AMENDMENT 1870

15th Amendment - African American Men granted the RIGHT to VOTE

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15th AMENDMENT-1870

19TH AMENDMENT - 1920

19th Amendment -Women’s Suffrage

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24TH AMENDMENT – NO POLL TAXES -196424TH Amendment - No poll taxes which were a devious way of

restricting voter rights

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26 TH AMENDMENT – 18 YEARS OLD TO VOTE - 26 TH AMENDMENT –Lowers the right to vote to

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