27 Amendments to the Constitution

Create Mnemonic Devices to Learn Them!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0BMTIErN8U&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

1st Amendment

Freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly and petition.

2nd Amendment

Right to bear arms.

3rd Amendment

Military troops may not take over civilian homes during peacetime.

4th Amendment

Protection from unreasonable search and seizure. Probable cause is needed.

5th Amendment

Grand juries will determine if there is sufficient reason to bring a case to trial. Double jeopardy a person will not be tried for the same crime twice. You cannot be forced to to give evidence against yourself. Cannot be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law. Eminent domain private property can be taken for public use as long as there is just compensation.

5th Amendment

6th Amendment

Right to a public and speedy Trial.

Informed of charges.

Confronted by the witnesses against him.

Right to an attorney.

6th Amendment

7th Amendment

Right to trial by jury in cases exceeding $20.00.

Applies to civil cases, not criminal matters.

8th Amendment

No Cruel or Unusual Punishment.

No excessive bail.

9th Amendment

People have other civic rights that may not be specifically mentioned in the Constitution.

10th Amendment

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States or the People.

Bill of Rights Game

http://www.texaslre.org/BOR/billofrights.html

11th Amendment

States cannot be sued in Federal Court by one of its citizens, a citizen of another state, or by a foreign country.

12th Amendment

President and Vice-President shall be voted for on separate ballots.

13th Amendment

Slavery shall be abolished.

14th Amendment

States cannot discriminate against people or create laws that deprive them of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.

15th Amendment

No citizen shall be refused the right to vote because of race.

16th Amendment

Congress can collect taxes without sharing with states based on their population.

17th Amendment

People directly elect 2 Senators for their state.

Rob Portman

Sherrod Brown

18th Amendment

It is illegal to manufacture, sell, and transport alcoholic beverages.

19th Amendment

Women's suffrage! Women's right to vote!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uPcthZL2RE&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

Women's suffrage

20th Amendment

The President shall take office January 20th (rather than March 4 as stated in the Constitution. Congress shall begin its term January 3rd.

21st Amendment

Repeals the 18th amendment.

22nd Amendment

The President shall not serve more than two terms.

23rd Amendment

Gives the district of Columbia the right to vote in presidential elections and have presidential electors.

24th Amendment

Government shall not require a person to pay a poll tax in order to vote.

25th Amendment

When the President dies, the Vice-President takes office. When the Vice-President dies, the President can appoint someone with Congressional consent.

26th Amendment

No one over eighteen can be denied the right to vote by virtue of age.

27th Amendment

A Congressional election is required before any changes in congressional compensation may be instituted.

Informal Amendment

Informal amendment is the process by which over time many changes have been made in the Constitution which have not involved any changes in its written word.

Informal Amendment

The informal amendment process can take place by:(1) the passage of basic legislation by Congress;(2) actions taken by the President;(3) key decisions of the Supreme Court;(4) the activities of political parties; and(5) custom.

Executive Action and Court Decisions

Executive ActionPresidential actions have produced a number of important informal amendments, such as the use of the military under the power of commander in chief. An executive agreement is a pact made by the President directly with the head of a foreign state.

Court DecisionsThe nations courts, most importantly the United States Supreme Court, interpret and apply the Constitution in many cases they hear.

Informal Amendment and Executive Agreement

1. An informal amendment can be established by (a) actions taken by the President.(b) custom.(c) key decisions of the Supreme Court.(d) all of the above.

2. An executive agreement is (a) a promise from the President to the legislature.(b) a pact made by the President directly with the head of a foreign state.(c) a decision made by the President and his cabinet members.(d) the contract the President signs when he accepts the office.

Electoral College

The group that makes the formal selection of the antion's President, from what the Framers intended into a rubber stamp for each State's popular vote in Presidential elections.

We will learn more about this topic later.

Custom vs. Constitution

15 Executive departments make up the Cabinet, an advisory body to the President.

Part of custom, not in the Constitution.